Transcript Highlights:

• They are the primary reason why our workforce participation is 50%.
• They<00:16:14.800><c> are</c><00:16:15.040><c> the</c><00:16:15.360><c> primary</c><00:16:15.920><c>
• reason</c><00:16:16.720><c> why</c><00:16:16.959><c> our</c> They are the primary reason why our They
• are the primary reason why our workforce<00:16:17.759><c> participation</c><00:16:18.480><c> is</c><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed preferred administrative regulations and, hearing no concerns, considered them reviewed. It then took up House Bill 388, described as a Casper cleanup bill. The sponsor said it would exempt charitable health care providers from e-prescribing requirements, allow Casper data sharing with certain federal entities, update references to hydrocodone’s schedule status, clean up drafting errors, and clarify practitioner registration with Casper. The bill passed 9-0 and was then approved for consent. Next, House Bill 134 was presented as a follow-up to a prior study on shortages of sexual assault nurse examiners and SANE-ready hospitals. The sponsor and a representative from the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs said the bill would create a statewide SANE coordinator. The committee adopted a substitute, then passed the bill unanimously and sent it to consent. Senate Bill 147 was then heard as an administrative update to vital records, modernizing certified-copy requests, adjusting fees, and requiring the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to send the annual death report to the State Board of Elections by July 1 each year. It passed unanimously and was also moved to consent. House Bill 280, a Kentucky Board of Nursing cleanup bill, would let the board investigate out-of-state nurses applying for Kentucky licenses, clarify licensing language, and update school rescue medication provisions, including inhalers, nebulizers, glucagon, Solu-Cortef, and nasal epinephrine. A committee substitute narrowed the bill to glucagon updates, and one senator asked whether the bill also covered child care centers; the sponsor said it addressed school medications only but was open to further discussion. The bill passed 10-0 and was reported favorably. Finally, Senate Bill 77 drew extended testimony. The sponsor and supporters argued that ibogaine research and treatment could help address addiction, PTSD, and depression, citing studies, personal recovery stories, and a proposed public-private partnership funded through opioid settlement money. The committee substitute removed the bill’s appropriation request and emergency clause, and members asked questions about whether PTSD is an addiction, whether smoking was included, whether the bill was authorizing research rather than funding, and how the treatment works. The sponsor said the substitute was only creating a structure for research, not appropriating money, and supporters described ibogaine as a one-time, medically supervised treatment. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on Senate Bill 77 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• have to find some way to impact our Medicaid program, and we know a lot of ER visits, 60, 70%, or primary
• Um, we're saying we're using this for primary care providers, but we're also using this for specialists
• specialist and all that, I'm trying to figure out where being a specialist myself, I don't think like primary
• I I don't think like primary<00:40:59.119><c> care.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Really, the primary reason is because of outstanding policy decisions.
• Really<00:41:24.443><c> [clears throat]</c><00:41:24.560><c> the</c><00:41:24.960><c> primary</c> Really
• [clears throat] the primary Really [clears throat] the primary reason<00:41:26.560><c> is</c><00:41:

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Although the development's primary aim is to address the need for more affordable housing options for
• Although the<00:46:14.480><c> development's</c><00:46:15.119><c> primary</c><00:46:15.520><c> aim</c>
• <00:46:15.839><c> is</c><00:46:16.000><c> to</c> the development's primary aim is to the development's
• primary aim is to address<00:46:16.480><c> the</c><00:46:16.720><c> need</c><00:46:16.880><c> for</c

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaii Primary Care Association in support. I'll be very brief. My name is Eric Abbe.
• I'm speaking on behalf of the Hawaii Primary Care Association. I'm also speaking as a friend of Mr.
• Hawaii Primary Care Association in support. I'll be very brief. My name is Eric Abbe.
• I'm speaking on behalf of the Hawaii Primary Care Association. I'm also speaking as a friend of Mr.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered multiple gubernatorial nominations, beginning with several appointments to the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund board. Testimony on the Hurricane Relief Fund nominees was overwhelmingly in support from the DCCA Insurance Division, Hawaii Insurance Council, Hawaii Insurers Council, the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, and various individuals and industry representatives. Nominees Michael Naka, Marie White, Raina Miamoto, Leslie Door, Edward Hike, and Gwen McDonald were discussed, with Miamoto and Hike offering brief remarks about the need to address hurricane insurance affordability, condo coverage, and the importance of attracting reinsurers. The committee spent substantial time questioning Hike about the fund’s strategy, including whether to keep eligibility broad in the first phase to move quickly into the reinsurance market, how much capital would be available, and whether later policy refinements such as owner-occupancy requirements could be added after an initial rollout. Hike said the fund intended to start with broad parameters to secure reinsurance and then consider more targeted changes later, and he indicated further responses to prior committee questions would be submitted later that day. No votes were taken during the excerpted discussion. The committee then moved to other nominations. Terresa Hernandez was considered for the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic, with support from the board, and she said chiropractic had been a passion for her for seven years. Terrence Aratani was considered for the Board of Nursing, with support from the Board of Nursing, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and others. During questioning, a senator raised concerns from constituents about a 2019 grant-related controversy involving a proposed resiliency hub project; Aratani responded that his organization had partnered on a grant-in-aid proposal, later withdrew when the project scope changed substantially, and said no money was transferred to the other group. Cheryl Schultz Hansen was also considered for the Board of Nursing and described her long nursing and teaching background, while a senator asked about alleged pressure on nurses to participate in employee give-back campaigns at Hawaii Pacific Health and the University of Hawaii; Hansen said the campaigns were voluntary and she was unaware of harassment, though she acknowledged managers may feel pressure to encourage participation. The excerpt ends before any final committee actions or votes on these nominations are announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• bit of a spoiler or a forecast of things to come: we'd like you to present the bill and make your primary
• 09:59.680><c> your</c> you to present the bill and make your you to present the bill and make your primary
• :00.680><c> then</c><00:10:00.839><c> I</c><00:10:00.920><c> think</c><00:10:01.079><c> we're</c> primary
• argument then I think we're primary argument then I think we're going<00:10:01.320><c> to</c><00:10:

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We stand by our written testimony and just offer the small addition that our primary concern with this
• 00:05:30.080><c> addition</c><00:05:30.440><c> that</c><00:05:30.600><c> our</c><00:05:30.800><c> primary
• </c><00:05:31.199><c> concern</c> small addition that our primary concern small addition that our primary

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused. The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided. In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.

Transcript Highlights:

• She walked out and left the place open. I called our local police department.
• But you opened those doors for us, and you gave us those opportunities.
• And there's an open Bible sitting right there on the table.
• And I just appreciate your openness to that.
• And I just appreciate your openness to that.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, page introductions, and recognition of guests, including a state champion Crossroads Academy basketball team and a student intern. The chamber then took up executive appointment reports from the Ethics and Elections Committee and related committees, which covered a large slate of gubernatorial appointees to state boards and commissions. Senators were given the opportunity to separate nominees for individual votes, and several members spoke in support of or opposition to specific appointees based on qualifications, ideology, and prior public service. The first major confirmation vote covered most of the 186 appointments on the report, with debate centered on three nominees highlighted by Senator Polsky: Ilya Shapiro, Thomas Zachary Smith, and Dr. John Lattell. The report was adopted 31-0 after those objections, and Jeffrey Aaron was then considered separately for the Public Employee Relations Commission. Senators Smith and Polsky opposed Aaron’s confirmation, citing his role as legal counsel to the Hope Florida Foundation and alleged involvement in the transfer of Medicaid settlement funds to political entities; Chair Gates defended Aaron as a lawyer representing a client and noted no disciplinary or law-enforcement action against him. Aaron was confirmed 26-10. The Senate next confirmed Chavon Harris as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration after debate focused on her prior leadership at the Department of Children and Families, Medicaid redeterminations, postpartum coverage issues, Hope Florida-related concerns, and a women’s shelter inspection dispute. Supporters emphasized her work stabilizing Medicaid funding and her responsiveness to agency problems, while opponents argued she had overseen serious failures and lacked suitability. The confirmation passed 32-5. Taylor Hatch was then confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families after committee members noted serious operational concerns at DCF, including SNAP/EBT compliance, child welfare practices, forensic audit issues, and questions about Hope Florida, but also cited her commitment to child welfare and willingness to address problems; the vote was 33-4. After the confirmations, the Senate recessed and later returned for a lengthy tribute to outgoing Senate President Kathleen Pasadomo. Senators from both parties offered personal remarks praising her leadership, diligence, toughness in committee, mentorship, and resilience after personal loss, while also joking about her reputation as a strict rules chair and “bill killer.” The session concluded with the recognition of her service and presentation of a handmade keepsake box filled with letters and mementos from staff and colleagues.

Transcript Highlights:

• She walked out, left the place open. I called our local police department.
• But you always welcomed me with open arms and answered all of my questions.
• But you opened those doors for us, and you gave us those opportunities.
• And there's an open Bible sitting right there on the table.
• And I just appreciate your openness to that.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But you opened those doors for us, and you gave us those opportunities.
• And we will let you pull it open.
• And there's an open Bible sitting right there on the table.
• And I just appreciate your openness to that.
• And I just appreciate your openness to that.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And part of building the budget is keeping our options open.
• This is what we are doing to keep our options open.
• But we are trying to keep our options open right now.
• This is what we are doing to keep our options open.
• But we are trying to keep our options open right now.

Summary: The committee began with a public hearing on Substitute House Bill 1592, which would change how state public defense funds are distributed and, in the substitute version, keep current law on state funding responsibility while revising the allocation formula. Staff explained the bill would shift county and city distributions to a pro rata, caseload-based model, allow very low-density counties to request OPD to provide some or all public defense services, require additional data collection and reporting, and direct OPD to study caseload reductions and retention. Representative Peterson said the bill is meant to create a better structure for future state support of indigent defense without the very large cost of the original proposal. Testimony from counties, cities, OPD, defenders, and local officials was strongly supportive, emphasizing a statewide public defense crisis, rising local costs, staffing shortages, and the need for a fairer funding model. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 1742 on environmentally sustainable urban design and Substitute House Bill 1906 on water system regulation and water rates. HB 1742 would create a center in Ecology to promote sustainable urban design, fund design competitions and grants, and establish an advisory council; the sponsor said the bill reflects a desire to support a pilot project through alternative funding, and there was no public testimony. HB 1906 would require more planning and notice for Group A water systems, add customer notice and right-of-first-refusal provisions for some ownership changes, and direct the UTC to consider external funding sources, capital planning, and rate smoothing when setting water rates. Water utility and PUD witnesses supported the goal of improving transparency and consolidation of failing small systems, while noting the substitute reduced some fiscal concerns. The committee also heard HB 2248 on Secretary of State corporate and charity filings, HB 2438 creating the SEED scholarship for early childhood education students, and HB 2515 addressing emerging large energy use facilities such as data centers. HB 2248 would redirect part of annual filing fees to the Secretary of State revolving fund, require initial reports from nonprofits and LLPs, and change trademark certificate procedures; the fiscal note showed modest revenue losses, and the division supported restoring the fee split for operational funding. HB 2438 would transfer $10 million annually from the GET account to fund scholarships and wraparound services for early childhood education degree seekers, with testimony from early learning advocates and a student describing workforce shortages and personal financial barriers. HB 2515 drew extensive testimony both for and against: supporters said it would protect ratepayers, water resources, and grid reliability by requiring tariffs, reporting, clean-energy requirements, and a fee on large energy users; opponents argued it singled out data centers, could hurt investment and jobs, and included unrelated labor and procurement provisions. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive-session briefing on several bills and amendments, including HB 1903 on statewide low-income energy assistance, HB 1909 on a court unification task force, HB 1982 on vacating certain convictions tied to treaty Indian rights, HB 2034 on LEOFF Plan 1 retirement changes, HB 2105 on employer notice of federal I-9 audits, HB 2210 on ranked-choice voting, HB 2215 on Climate Commitment Act fuel supplier obligations, and HB 2271 on post-consumer recycled content requirements. Staff summarized proposed substitutes and amendments, with several changes aimed at reducing or shifting fiscal impacts, narrowing agency duties, or striking provisions entirely.

Transcript Highlights:

• She has opened doors that once seemed out of reach.
• She has opened doors that financial aid.
• When premiums rise, coverage rooms open.
• Not once did they say showerheads was their primary concern.
• Not once did they say showerheads was their primary concern.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the Legislative Open Records Act, which isn't quite as open as the California Public Records
• All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll.
• Seeing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll. The clerk will open the roll.
• Seeing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll.
• All debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll.

Summary: The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then returned to session with prayer, pledge, and a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk following news of his shooting. Members then handled a series of procedural motions, including suspending rules, moving several bills to the inactive file, re-referring bills to committees, and authorizing committee meetings. The chamber also observed adjournments in memory for several individuals, including Ermilo Don Rodas, John Burton, Nina Chomsky, and Barbara “Bobby” Samperey. On the floor file, members considered and passed a long list of Senate bills, largely on bipartisan or unanimous votes. Topics included consumer protection and transparency for self-storage contracts (SB 709), adoption jurisdiction (SB 450), privacy and name/image protections (SB 683), an audit of the February 2025 bar exam (SB 47), data broker transparency (SB 361), used-car buyer protections (SB 76), state parks land acquisition streamlining (SB 630), cemetery work group deadlines (SB 777), financial enforcement authority (SB 825), utility outage reporting and reliability planning (SB 292), vital records confidentiality (SB 313), health care coverage and hormone therapy access (SB 418), workplace outreach (SB 578), Holocaust and genocide education (SB 472), county jail treatment for misdemeanor incompetency cases (SB 820), and AI companion chatbot safeguards for minors and self-harm risks (SB 243). Most measures passed with little or no opposition, though SB 578 drew sharp debate over the workplace outreach program and its funding. The Assembly also took up concurrence items and approved numerous Assembly bills with Senate amendments. These included transparency in legislative nondisclosure agreements (AB 1370), affordable faculty/staff housing provisions at community colleges (AB 648), tribal youth foster care reforms (AB 1378), EV charger payment regulations (AB 1423), technical Political Reform Act changes (AB 1511), diacritical marks on vital records (AB 64), reproductive health protections with urgency (AB 260), union and collective bargaining protections (AB 288), bench trial statement-of-decision streamlining (AB 515), agricultural land stewardship (AB 524), geothermal exploratory project rules (AB 527), Medi-Cal field medicine changes (AB 543), tobacco-related provisions (AB 573), social media platform rules (AB 656), state parks transaction reporting (AB 679), professional licensing changes (AB 742), and child care staffing and assistant teacher pathways with urgency (AB 753). Votes were generally strong, with several measures passing unanimously or near-unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't want to be open on Sunday. It's very clear.
• Well, because if we're open 7 days a week and the bill doesn't say you have to be open, it's permissive
• , but if your competitor's open, you're compelled to be open.
• If we're open on Sunday, the price of those products go up.
• And by the way, an 18 year old can wait tables in Texas and serve open containers and open mixed drinks

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Transcript Highlights:

• indicates that more than 108,000 individuals in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with a primary

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• then there are just a couple of components that made sure that the care plan was approved by the primary

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health met with a quorum and took up several measures in executive session. The committee first considered Senate Bill 878, a pharmacy-related bill. Members adopted a committee substitute and amendment that added language previously seen in other bills, including pseudoephedrine and 340B provisions, and language matching Senate floor changes on ivermectin. One member raised concerns about making hydroxychloroquine available over the counter and about pharmacists prescribing class II devices such as CPAP machines, but the substitute ultimately passed by a vote of 13-2. The committee then considered House Bill 3457, Representative Burns’s medically complex patients bill. A substitute was adopted that narrowed the definition of “medically complex patient,” changed one provision from “shall” to “may,” and required primary care physician approval of a care plan before it could be entered into the alert system. The substitute passed unanimously, 15-0. Finally, the committee approved two resolutions sponsored by Representative Harbison. House Resolution 538, on ALS awareness, was amended to add more emphasis on assistive technology and augmentative/alternative communication, then passed 15-0. House Resolution 4661, on chronic kidney disease, also passed unanimously, 15-0. The meeting concluded with brief closing remarks and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what RS 3336 does is for physicians in primary care, psychiatry, or obstetrics and gynecology who

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:44:57.640><c> to</c> sponsor I certainly would be open to sponsor I certainly would be open to
• We have open competition, and even as he mentioned, pleasure boats, right.
• We have open competition, and even as he mentioned, pleasure boats, right.
• </c><01:37:26.320><c> for</c> are would there be any opening for are would there be any opening for amending
• </c> believe an amendment would be uh open believe an amendment would be uh open and and and appropriate

Committee: House State-federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, finally, and maybe one day we'll pay primary care where they ought to be, but that's a Washington
• Yeah, finally, and maybe one day we'll pay primary care where they ought to be, but that's a Washington

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• concern is that they're going to go out of business because of the hemp regulations, because their primary
• concern is that they're going to go out of business because of the hemp regulations, because their primary

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 959, house, all