Transcript Highlights:

• So the changes that were made on HB 661 were to restrict the permitting activities, the exemption for
• on HB<00:47:38.880><c> 661</c><00:47:39.880><c> were</c><00:47:40.119><c> to</c><00:47:40.400><c> restrict
• </c><00:47:41.359><c> the</c><00:47:41.559><c> permitting</c> HB 661 were to restrict the permitting
• HB 661 were to restrict the permitting activities<00:47:43.000><c> the</c><00:47:43.119><c> exemption

Keywords: 912, senate, all

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:

• Representative Feist said she was referring to line 12.29, which takes out the restriction that had been
• ><01:29:05.000><c> takes</c><01:29:05.320><c> out</c><01:29:05.639><c> the</c><01:29:05.840><c> Restriction
• </c> 12.29 which takes out the Restriction 12.29 which takes out the Restriction that<01:29:06.520><c

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to make sure that it's workable and achieving the public purpose without making the projects so restricted
• projects<01:05:22.440><c> so</c><01:05:23.359><c> uh</c><01:05:23.440><c> so</c><01:05:23.680><c> restricted
• c><01:05:24.079><c> in</c><01:05:24.160><c> terms</c><01:05:24.359><c> of</c> projects so uh so restricted
• in terms of projects so uh so restricted in terms of their<01:05:24.680><c> income</c><01:05:25.039>

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He explained that every other license type is restricted to its specific activity with small limitations
• He explained that every other license type is restricted to its specific activity with small limitations
• He explained that every other license type is restricted to its specific activity with small limitations
• He explained that every other license type is restricted to its specific activity, with small limitations

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• think the question is whether or not um any terms of any of the funding will include um land use restrictions
• 57:18.480><c> use</c> the funding will include um land use the funding will include um land use restrictions
• ><c> that</c><00:57:20.319><c> uh</c><00:57:20.480><c> perpetuate</c><00:57:21.039><c> the</c> restrictions
• that uh perpetuate the restrictions that uh perpetuate the affordability<00:57:22.000><c> over</c><00

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We started mainstreaming more kids and giving them more supports to be in the least restrictive setting
• giving them more supports to be in the giving them more supports to be in the least<01:04:41.039><c> restrictive
• </c><01:04:41.440><c> setting</c><01:04:41.920><c> possible</c><01:04:42.720><c> and</c> least restrictive
• setting possible and least restrictive setting possible and so<01:04:42.960><c> if</c><01:04:43.119>

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's outdated restriction threatens both our clean energy potential and the ability to attract
• nuclear power for their data centers Minnesota's<01:39:14.480><c> outdated</c><01:39:14.960><c> restriction
• </c> Minnesota's outdated restriction Minnesota's outdated restriction threatens<01:39:16.040><c> both

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• persist, we think it's untenable, and we do think it leads to perverse incentives to artificially restrict
• And so I'm saying no cuts and no restrictions to get there to Medi-Cal.
• We don't want to be overly restrictive or have poorly designed guardrails that could create new barriers

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and extensive testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and advocates for older adults and people with disabilities. The administration described IHSS as a large and growing program serving more than 900,000 recipients, and outlined three proposals: shifting the cost of growth in authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The LAO said the overall budget estimates appeared reasonable but raised concerns about the hours-per-case proposal, including the lack of a comprehensive root-cause analysis, the limited control counties have over statewide cost growth, and uncertainty about how the baseline and savings would work. CWDA, SEIU, and consumer advocates strongly opposed the hours cost shift, arguing that counties use state-designed tools, that demographic changes and rising need explain much of the growth, and that the proposal would pressure counties to cut services and destabilize care. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the administration about the proposed baseline, the claimed savings, and whether the measure effectively circumvents the county maintenance-of-effort agreement. On the backup provider system, the administration said the statewide program is underutilized and administratively expensive, and proposed eliminating it to save about $3.5 million. The LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced while preserving some version of the program. County and consumer advocates opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical safety net when regular providers are unavailable, especially in rural areas and for people with complex needs. They argued that low utilization reflects the difficulty of finding emergency backup care, not lack of need, and that many counties already rely on local backup systems or other models. Committee members also pressed for better data on requests, fulfillment, and administrative costs, and discussed whether the state could support local alternatives instead of eliminating the program. The final topic was the proposal to align IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations by automating the process when recipients fail to complete Medi-Cal redeterminations. The administration said this would reduce General Fund costs by about $86 million by preventing payment of IHSS in the residual program when recipients are no longer eligible for Medi-Cal, while also automating reinstatement when Medi-Cal is restored. The LAO noted the proposal has been rejected in prior years and suggested improved notice and communication to recipients as an alternative. CWDA and advocates warned that the change could create gaps in care, especially for people who lose Medi-Cal for procedural reasons, and urged additional safeguards such as better notices, faster reprocessing, and automatic reinstatement. Members questioned how many people would be affected, how the residual program currently works, and whether providers could go unpaid during the gap; the department said the automation is already built and would be activated if the proposal is approved. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the committee moved through public comment and questioning without final action on the proposals in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It restricts third-party complaints.
• It restricts third-party complaints.
• It restricts third-party complaints.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:10:13.760><c> be</c><01:10:13.920><c> seniors</c><01:10:14.560><c> on</c><01:10:14.920><c> restricted
• </c> They might be seniors on restricted They might be seniors on restricted incomes<01:10:15.960><c>

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's already restrictions on fall fertilizer application and some other things that you might
• weather in the wintertime to haul a lot of aggregate and avoid destroying roads and avoid road restrictions
• roads and avoid road respect. to haul a lot of aggregate and avoid destroying roads and avoid road restrictions

Committee: Joint Water Topics Overview Committee

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and heard updates from Department of Water Resources Director Reese Haas and Lieutenant Governor/State Water Commission Chair Michelle Strinden on statewide water funding, major projects, and two legislative studies requested in House Bill 1020. Haas reviewed the status of the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, noting NAWS construction is expected to move water by fall and Southwest’s Hebron-Rugby expansion phase one is in final design with bids expected next month. He also summarized the department’s budget outlook, including Resources Trust Fund and Water Project Stabilization Fund balances, the effect of oil price volatility and stripper well exemptions on revenues, and the status of project buckets, carryover, lines of credit, regionalization, bid trends, and administrative/process updates. Committee members asked about project prioritization, municipal funding demand, maintenance expectations, replacement versus deferred maintenance, and whether the 2025 session may have underfunded municipal water supply needs. Haas said the commission uses the same high/medium/low prioritization process across all buckets, reviews maintenance plans as part of policy, and is seeing strong demand in the municipal bucket. He also explained that the department’s 14-year projection is based on the next seven legislative sessions and that the state faces a projected $1.3 billion shortfall over that period if all planned projects are funded under current assumptions. Deloitte then presented draft findings from the cost-share policy study and the governance/finance study. For cost share, Deloitte said the model shows a roughly $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years and about $1.8 billion through 2031 under current policy, and offered seven options including tighter eligibility for replacement projects, state funding caps for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, a priority-based cost-share scale, timing shifts, use of existing lines of credit, and delayed reimbursement timing. For governance, Deloitte outlined draft options for Southwest, NAWS, and Red River ranging from maintaining current structures with stronger planning to transferring ownership or adding formal oversight, and recommended broader use of performance metrics, long-term financial planning, and clearer decision trees. No votes or formal actions were taken; the commission discussed the scenarios and the studies will return in revised form later in the spring.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to have fewer restrictions to ensure equity in each community.
• We need to have fewer restrictions to ensure equity in each community.
• We need to have fewer restrictions to ensure equity in each community.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the second part of the amendment that made that happen restricts funding to the districts based on
• But the second part of the amendment that made that happen restricts funding to the districts based on
• Our school board is already in, and multiple school boards have moved money and restricted it for those

Bills: HB0159

Committee: House Education

Keywords: student rights, free expression, K-12 education, speech protection, religious views, political speech, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the restrictions, one of the eligibilities, is that you have to be in the middle of the supply
• And one of the restrictions, one of the eligibilities, is that you have to be in the middle of the supply
• This is just funding future regulation and future market restrictions on people like me who actually

Bills: SB874 , SB2097 , SB2098 , SB2126 , SB2154 , SB2153 , SB2160 , SB2123 , SB2110

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: veterinary medicine, prescription, consumer rights, transparency, pet medication, sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, food system resilience, grant program, Hawaii agriculture, agriculture, clean plant program, disease-free plants, plant propagation, small farms, midsize farms, sustainable farming, Hawaii, data analysis, market study

Summary: The committee heard several agriculture-related bills. SB 874 on veterinary medicine would require veterinarians, upon a client’s request, to provide a written prescription for an animal patient in an existing veterinary client-patient relationship, allow Hawaii-licensed pharmacies to dispense those prescriptions, and authorize the Veterinary Medicine Board to set penalties. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with supporters citing lower costs and consumer choice; the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association said veterinarians already should be doing this and supported the bill if amended. One testifier in opposition argued the bill needed a conspicuous notice requirement so pet owners know they can request prescriptions. Committee members and the Department of Agriculture said they were not aware of widespread problems, and discussion focused on whether the measure was already consistent with current practice and whether amendments would address remaining concerns. The committee also heard SB 2097, which would create a climate-resilient food systems grant program in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and appropriate funds. The department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and others supported the bill, saying it could help farmers and ranchers invest in resilience, infrastructure, and technology. Several testifiers asked for clearer definitions, especially for terms like “food hubs” and “resilience hubs,” and suggested adding technical assistance and clearer eligibility criteria. The department explained the program was intended for shovel-ready projects in the middle of the supply chain, with a focus on farmers in a certain revenue range, and said it was modeled on a USDA program. SB 2098 would establish a clean plant program to produce and distribute disease-free plant material to growers, nurseries, and other producers. Testimony was supportive, emphasizing biosecurity, nursery industry needs, and preventing invasive species and crop disease. The department described the program as using tested clean stock, tissue culture facilities, and data collection to support future planting decisions, and estimated a two-year ramp-up. Members questioned whether the program duplicated existing work at CTR/other partners and whether data collection should be centralized, but the department said the effort would build on existing varieties and partnerships rather than overlap them. Finally, SB 2126 would create a conventional farming grant program for small and midsize conventional farmers. Supporters from the department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council said conventional agriculture deserves support and that the bill would help increase food production. Opposition and comments focused on the bill’s exclusion of organic farmers; one farmer said the measure was unfair unless amended to include organic producers, while a Farmers Union witness said the bill was too vague about the grant’s purpose and should be clearer about its goals. In response to questions, the department said the exclusion of organic farming was not intentional and that the bill was meant to support all agriculture, though no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• :38.960><c> and</c><00:39:39.280><c> with</c><00:39:39.520><c> immigration</c><00:39:40.240><c> restricted
• </c> rate and with immigration restricted rate and with immigration restricted um<00:39:42.160><c> and

Bills: HF3220

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: school safety, school security, emergency access, law enforcement access, master key box, secure key box, entry device, school grants, education finance, Department of Education, charter schools, school districts, cooperative units, appropriation cancellation, one-time appropriation, school safety plan, emergency preparedness, public safety, school building security, 1183

Transcript Highlights:

• Does your budget include any restrictions on state agency spending for public service announcements to
• Does your budget include any restrictions on state agency spending for public service announcements to
• direct payment programs, or DPP, and where that money might come from if the federal government ...restricted

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, quorum call, and several recognitions, including guests for Education and Sharing Day, law enforcement officer of the day Detective Miata Anderson, and later FAMU Day at the Capitol and other visiting groups. The chamber adopted the special order report and then moved through a series of budget-related bills and conforming measures, with debate focused largely on recurring funding, environmental programs, housing, insurance reserves, and tax policy. Members approved HB 5011/SB 2506, which conform environmental resource funding to the proposed budget by shifting Seminole Gaming Compact-related dollars from recurring to nonrecurring funding; supporters said this preserves annual legislative review, while opponents warned it would reduce funding for the Resilient Florida program, wildlife corridor protection, invasive species removal, and other conservation efforts. The House then passed HB 5013, reducing state-funded property reinsurance reserves by lowering the RAP program and repealing FORA funding, and HB 5501, which redirects documentary stamp tax revenues from housing and transportation trust funds to general revenue; Democrats argued the housing changes would reduce affordable housing support, while Republicans said the move was needed to control recurring spending. The chamber also passed HB 5015 on state group insurance, HB 5201 on Florida PALM accounting conforming changes, HB 5203 on Capitol Center tenancy and utilities control, and HB 5009 creating a Florida Accountability Office and revising audit and budgeting functions. The most extended debate came on HB 7031, which permanently reduces the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25% and also lowers several related tax rates. Supporters described it as broad-based, immediate tax relief for Floridians, while opponents said property tax relief would be more targeted and that sales tax cuts also benefit tourists and out-of-state visitors. The bill passed 112-0. The House then took up the main budget bill, HB 501, and subcommittee chairs outlined the proposed $112.9 billion budget, including education, health care, transportation, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and IT spending. Members began questioning the pre-K-12 budget on school funding, vouchers, proration, mental health and safety allocations, and inflation, with the discussion continuing beyond the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 06.920><c> to</c> delegated the absentee ballot process to delegated the absentee ballot process to restrict
• 08.640><c> days</c><00:54:08.960><c> or</c><00:54:09.240><c> the</c><00:54:09.359><c> entire</c> restrict
• that to 18 days or the entire restrict that to 18 days or the entire 46<00:54:10.599><c> days</c><00

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the summer food service program, or CACFP and SFSP, to include staffing requirements and growth restrictions
• When we talk about restricting, let's see, page 19. Where am I? Here we go. Food service fund.
• talk</c><01:07:35.440><c> about</c> talk about when you talk about talk about when you talk about restricting

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• about<00:07:52.599><c> some</c><00:07:52.759><c> of</c><00:07:52.840><c> the</c><00:07:53.000><c> restrictions
• </c><00:07:53.599><c> in</c><00:07:53.759><c> this</c> about some of the restrictions in this about some
• of the restrictions in this bill<00:07:54.159><c> being</c><00:07:54.400><c> placed</c><00:07:54.680

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Attorney General's actions where the privacy interests of individuals and other confidentiality restrictions
• Attorney General's actions where the privacy interests of individuals and other confidentiality restrictions
• Attorney General's actions where the privacy interests of individuals and other confidentiality restrictions

Keywords: 1183, house