Transcript Highlights:

• The features that we tend to highlight are expedited processing of applications.
• So they have expedited processing as well. Next slide, please.
• We also have an expedited licensure process.
• So they have an expedited processing. and and for review.
• So they have an expedited processing as per regulation as well. Next slide, please.

Summary: The committee heard updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Navy Region Northwest, Fairchild Air Force Base, the Coast Guard, state licensing agencies, the Professional Educator Standards Board, the Washington National Guard, and a veterans behavioral health presenter. Across the military briefings, common themes were readiness, infrastructure, and quality-of-life issues for service members and families, especially child care, housing, food insecurity, medical and dental access, and military spouse employment. JBLM highlighted its role in Indo-Pacific readiness, ongoing PFAS cleanup, 212 new family housing units under construction, efforts to expand child care, and continued work to keep the Lewis Army Museum open. Navy Region Northwest discussed its major installations and economic impact, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, future carrier and submarine homeporting needs, and asked the legislature to continue support for licensure compacts, educational stability for military children, housing, and medical access. Fairchild emphasized its tanker and survival missions, child care shortages, food insecurity, aging housing, and concerns about wind turbine development near flight paths, while the Coast Guard focused on rebuilding Base Seattle for new icebreakers and on rural access to housing, medical care, and child care at dispersed stations like Neah Bay. Members repeatedly raised food insecurity and asked for follow-up on solutions. JBLM and Fairchild both described increased demand for food assistance during the shutdown, and committee members noted progress in getting mobile food vans onto JBLM. The presenters also praised state action on military spouse licensure and child care, including Senate Bill 5545 and related compact and portability efforts. The Department of Licensing reported about 9,000 self-identified military members or spouses licensed, with average time-to-license just under nine days, and said applications are prioritized when military status is self-identified. The Department of Health said its military-to-civilian crosswalk now covers more than 35 health professions, that temporary practice permits and expedited processing are in place, and that 1,300 credentials were issued to military spouses and domestic partners and 129 to military-trained health professionals in the last fiscal year, all within 30 days. The Professional Educator Standards Board explained that military spouses and service members can receive expedited teacher certification with reduced documentation, and that they are moved to the front of the review queue when they self-identify. Members asked about verification, and staff said the process relies on attestation with investigatory safeguards if needed. The Washington National Guard briefed on its dual state and federal mission, the impact of the recent shutdown on nearly 700 employees who worked without pay, and policy and budget requests including youth academy protections, alignment of the Washington Code of Military Justice with the UCMJ, making Civil Air Patrol a division of the Military Department, 911 funding, disaster assistance, and capital funding for headquarters and readiness facilities. The Guard also warned about drone threats and said it wants authority to identify, track, and monitor suspicious drones. A veterans behavioral health presenter, an Army combat veteran and clinical social worker, described high suicide risk, barriers to care, and the need for more culturally competent services, especially for women veterans and caregivers. He said Washington veterans’ suicide rate remains above the national average and emphasized that childcare, transportation, and provider shortages can prevent timely treatment. Members generally responded supportively throughout, asked for follow-up on food security and other issues, and encouraged agencies to bring forward legislative ideas for future sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, an example might be someone gets evicted from their apartment on Thursday afternoon in Candia.
• Um, an example might be someone gets evicted from their apartment on Thursday afternoon in Candia.
• Um, an example might be someone gets evicted from their apartment on Thursday afternoon in Candia.
• Um, an example might be someone gets evicted from their apartment on Thursday afternoon in Candia.
• Gets evicted from their apartment on Thursday afternoon in Candia.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Madam Chair, I believe there should be a process for expediting department reviews.
• Can you describe to me why you do not expedite reviews? Commissioner. Madam Chair, Mr.
• If there is an expedited review on that application, then it's about 15 days.
• If you don't have an expediting process, why?
• If you do have an expediting process, can you explain that to me, please?

Summary: The committee first heard an Auditor General presentation on the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board’s sunset review. The audit found the board generally met some licensing requirements, but it did not timely investigate and resolve 49 of 159 complaints in fiscal year 2024, and it did not fully comply with conflict-of-interest disclosure and filing requirements. The Auditor General also noted the board lacked a formal process to verify continuing education compliance. The board’s executive director said the agency had already corrected some conflict-of-interest issues, was working to improve complaint handling, and would implement all 21 recommendations. A veterinarian representing the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association supported the board and said the profession is also working to address the shortage of large-animal veterinarians. The committee then voted to recommend continuation of the board for eight years, until July 1, 2034. The committee next received the Auditor General’s sunset review of the Arizona State Land Department. The audit identified three major problem areas: the department had not updated its required five-year disposition plan for state trust land since 2011, it had not adjusted agricultural rental rates to reflect market conditions for many years, and it had not consistently inspected mineral-related leases and permits before releasing reclamation bonds. The Auditor General said these issues risked lower returns for trust beneficiaries, lost revenue, and public safety hazards, and made 18 recommendations in the performance audit plus 34 additional recommendations in the sunset review. The department agreed to implement or partially implement nearly all recommendations and said it had begun a mass appraisal process. State Land Commissioner Robin Zahid then testified that the department was making operational improvements, including rulemaking updates, stakeholder outreach on water-use policy, a new customer-service status bar, and process changes for land sales and mining applications. She defended the decision not to renew the Fondomonte leases in a transportation basin, citing the high value of groundwater and the trust’s fiduciary duty. Members questioned her about agricultural lease water charges, the status of a water policy framework and addendum, the lack of a formal expedited review process, the Fondomonte reimbursement payments for improvements, and the department’s handling of a high-profile land auction tied to the Coyotes arena proposal. Several members also asked for follow-up information on pending residential housing applications, acreage, administrative fees, and third-party contractors.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm trying to expedite. We have four pieces of paper in front of you.
• The bottom line says Department of Revenue Administration shall expedite certified adjusted rate applications
• Revenue line says Department of Revenue Administration<00:05:32.880><c> shall</c><00:05:33.280><c> expedite
• </c><00:05:33.919><c> certified</c> Administration shall expedite certified Administration shall expedite

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference on HB 718 met to reconcile House and Senate language. Members discussed two main parts of the bill: provisions requiring the Department of Education to report on rules that exceed state or federal requirements, including any fiscal impact on school districts, and language related to the new Pasquaney school district and its tax-rate setting timeline. Conferees said they were agreeable to the Senate’s additions on reporting and the handling of indeterminable fiscal impacts. The group focused on a House amendment, 2725H, which made two technical changes to the Senate language: adding the word “certified” to align with existing statutory language and changing the bill’s effective date to “upon passage” so the Department of Revenue Administration could act in time. A further clarification was proposed to specify July 1, 2025, for the tax-rate language, and members agreed to that change as well. There was some concern raised that the bill’s underlying special education implications could have indeterminate fiscal effects on school districts, and one member said that without a fiscal note they could not support it. After discussion, the House members voted in favor of the three changes, the Senate member present also supported them, and the chair announced the result as effectively unanimous. The committee then said the report would be drafted and the bill would move forward, with HB 102 mentioned as another item to be placed on consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• management and working on fire-related challenges and your commitment, of course, to working on expediting
• And working on fire-related challenges and your commitment, of course, to working on expediting housing
• to gain out of a study bill that would not be implemented until 2028 that we're already doing to expedite
• But I think the main point of this bill is if we can expedite housing and we can see... ...this bill
• is if we can expedite housing and we can see that permitting can actually come through, it shouldn't

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• preparing applications for individual financial and medical assistance so that the processing may be expedited
• for assistance with cell phone for one year, housing, employment, mental health counseling, and expedited
• . require DCR to expedited upon release. require DCR to alert<00:01:16.720><c> DHS</c><00:01:17.280><
• </c><00:01:28.000><c> processing</c><00:01:28.560><c> of</c> counseling, and expedited processing of
• counseling, and expedited processing of benefit<00:01:29.119><c> assistance</c><00:01:29.600><c> for<

Bills: SB3294

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: wrongful conviction, compensation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, innocence, legal process, burden of proof, case manager, medical coverage, judicial discretion, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees first took up SB 3294, a controversial measure concerning post-release assistance for people pursuing reversals of prior court decisions where innocence is in question. Members discussed keeping the bill moving on the “human side” while a House companion addressed the legal issues. The adopted amendments removed advanced compensation language and instead required DCR, with DHS, to help petitioners prepare applications for financial and medical assistance, notify DHS upon release, assign a case manager to assist with a cell phone for one year, housing, employment, mental health counseling, and expedited benefits, and provide a state ID upon release. The measure also included technical amendments and a defective date, and it passed unanimously. The joint committees then heard SB 2237 on fire prevention, which would require state agencies to create and update hazard maps and direct DNR to adopt rules and clear brush. DLNR testified that a single lead agency should develop the maps with input from other agencies, that a five-year timeline would be more reasonable, and that assigning DNR all fuels management on state lands would create an unfunded mandate. Members discussed using the newly created fire marshal’s office as the lead, and the committees ultimately deferred the bill in favor of a broader wildfire mitigation measure already moving in another committee. The final agenda included SB 2596 on government leases, SB 30002 on the Hawaii State Planning Act and green infrastructure, and SB 3067 on records and filing requirements. SB 2596 was advanced unamended to Ways and Means. On SB 30002, OPSD explained that a 2025-2027 comprehensive review of chapter 226 is underway, with a report and draft legislation due in 2027, and members debated whether to move piecemeal changes now or wait for the broader review; the bill nevertheless passed unamended. SB 3067, which updates outdated filing formats and drawing scales, also passed unamended with DAGS supporting the measure in writing.

Transcript Highlights:

• drug take-back program fee setting and expenditures, done in advance of the legislative session, expedited
• “During the 2025 legislative session, the legislature directed JLARC to complete an expedited report
• The next steps for the expedited review are to present the proposed final report in April.
• And I want to thank our staff as you're leaving, Amanda and Andrew, for being able to do an expedited
• So we did this as an expedited review, and the finding is that the change in statute won't cover your

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee met on January 7, 2026, approved the December minutes, and adopted an amended work plan. Staff proposed moving the drug take-back program sunset review up to 2026 and delaying the thermal energy network pilot review to 2028, which would free capacity for new studies. Members also discussed active bills that would eliminate two recurring JLARC reports, including one on lodging tax revenue data collection, and the committee adopted the work plan without objection. JLARC staff then outlined new performance measures for the committee itself, covering effectiveness, efficiency, and quality. The measures include member and legislative satisfaction surveys, presentations to other committees, recommendation follow-up, staff retention, on-time report delivery, peer review results, and national recognition. Members praised the effort and did not take formal action, treating the measures as an ongoing process. The committee also heard a proposal to improve JLARC’s review of tax preference performance statements by adding a standard rubric in fiscal notes to assess whether a metric matches the policy objective, is measurable, uses reliable data, and allows enough time for evaluation. Members supported the pilot approach. Staff also described planned changes to public records reporting guidance, including opt-outs for low-volume metrics, better validation, targeted outreach to nonreporting agencies, and a survey of records officers. Two preliminary reports were presented. On ignition interlock devices, JLARC found that only 41% of drivers with a requirement had installed a device, with installation rates rising sharply with income; financial assistance reaches only about 11% of users, and JLARC recommended clearer program goals and stronger coordination between the Department of Licensing and State Patrol. On the drug take-back program, JLARC found that the fee structure tied to operator expenditures limits the Department of Health’s ability to recover oversight costs and recommended public reporting of oversight spending and a statutory change to better align fees with actual costs. Agency representatives generally agreed with the findings, described current coordination and administrative changes, and said they would consider the recommendations. No formal votes were taken on the reports, which will return in final form later in the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this one on page five, you'll see that there's a requirement for expedited rule-making authority.
• And so the commissioner needs to have the expedited rule-making authority.
• for expedited rule making authority. authority. authority.
• </c><00:19:45.040><c> expedited</c><00:19:45.720><c> rule</c> have the expediting expedited rule have
• the expediting expedited rule making<00:19:46.240><c> authority.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• special presentations trying to educate all stakeholders present on, for instance, the passage of the eviction
• 14:34.239><c> uh</c> um for instance the passage of the uh um for instance the passage of the uh eviction
• mediation</c><01:14:35.280><c> pilot</c><01:14:35.600><c> program</c><01:14:36.320><c> what</c> eviction
• mediation pilot program what eviction mediation pilot program what are<01:14:36.719><c> its</c><01:14

Bills: SB2045 , SB2354

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: combat sports, boxing, mixed martial arts, health regulations, safety standards, licensing, event regulation, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees first took up SB 2071 on rent-to-own housing. Testimony was generally supportive from HHFDC and Hawaii Realtors, but Sierra Club of Hawaii and others opposed the bill unless it was amended to exclude ceded lands from the 99-year lease provision. Members discussed the scope of ceded versus non-ceded lands and whether an inventory exists. The committees ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including HHFDC’s proposal to make the fixed-price period flexible by tying it to an option period and Sierra Club’s language limiting the program to non-ceded state or county land. They then heard SB 2191 on limited profit housing associations. HHFDC supported the measure, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Office of the Auditor urged caution about tax exclusions and asked for clearer, more targeted limits and measurable outcomes. The committees adopted amendments to add a statement of purpose, include measurable metrics, apply the tax provisions to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and delay the effective date to allow for administrative changes. SB 2191 was recommended for passage with amendments. The committees also considered SB 2197, which would have replaced the five-year fixed-price period in rent-to-own housing with an option period set by HHFDC, but deferred it indefinitely because its issues were addressed in SB 2071. SB 2180 on deposits of public funds drew comments from the Hawaii Bankers Association questioning definitions and noting banks are already subject to Community Reinvestment Act requirements; decision-making was deferred to the next day in the CPN committee and to a later date for the housing committee. Finally, SB 2210 on housing discrimination received support from disability advocates and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, which asked for one additional investigator; the committees passed it with amendments adding a blank appropriation for one full-time position and planned to notify Ways and Means for possible re-referral.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm talking about cases like evictions, foreclosures, contract for deed terminations, where this bill
• Um, I'm talking about cases like evictions,<00:14:15.959><c> foreclosures,</c><00:14:16.959><c> contract
• </c><00:14:17.440><c> for</c> evictions, foreclosures, contract for evictions, foreclosures, contract

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it covers things like what a lease needs to look like, what an eviction process looks like, how to
• The landlord's guide to Minnesota law covers things like what a lease needs to look like, what an eviction
• And it covers things like what a lease needs to look like, what an eviction process looks like, how to
• The landlord's guide to Minnesota law covers things like what a lease needs to look like, what an eviction

Bills: HF1051 , HF16

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Keywords: sacred communities, micro units, religious institutions, housing regulations, homelessness, conditional use permits, immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, sanctuary city, noncooperation ordinance, ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal immigration authorities, deportation, undocumented immigrant, undocumented person, immigration status data, data sharing, preemption, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• In some cases, the association has a right to evict that tenant.
• has</c><00:48:47.760><c> a</c><00:48:47.920><c> right</c><00:48:48.040><c> to</c><00:48:48.240><c> evict
• </c><00:48:48.680><c> that</c> association has a right to evict that association has a right to evict

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• situation: if you violate your lease or you do some drinking or whatever drugs in the house, you can be evicted
• , but that eviction process can be 30, 60 days.
• 18:27.880><c> be</c> whatever drugs in the house you can be whatever drugs in the house you can be evicted
• <01:18:28.560><c> but</c><01:18:28.679><c> that</c><01:18:28.840><c> eviction</c><01:18:29.400><c> process

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Municipal and County Government subcommittee met on February 19, 2025 to gather additional information on House Bill 432, which concerns recovery houses. The first witness, State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi, said his office had worked with stakeholders for more than a year on the bill’s definition changes and supported the revised definition. He explained that the bill removes vague language such as “safe, healthy, family” and instead relies on fire-code requirements and certification standards, including a primarily non-transient dwelling unit and living as a single household. He distinguished recovery houses from boarding or rooming houses and from other congregate settings such as group homes or transitional housing, saying those other uses do not currently have the same exemptions. Members questioned Tumi about fire safety, inspections, smoke alarms, egress, and whether sprinklers should be required. He said recovery houses are inspected by the fire marshal’s office and local fire departments, with annual inspections under state fire code provisions, and that operators must work with a certifying body. He described the inspection process as checking alarms, extinguishers, heating systems, cooking equipment, street numbers, and no-smoking rules, and said new houses are generally given time to obtain certification. He also said he would prefer sprinklers everywhere but believed mandating them for these existing structures would likely shut down many recovery houses and significantly harm the recovery community. Bill McKenny of the New Hampshire Building Officials Association then testified in support of HB 432. He said recovery housing is an important step after treatment and that the 2024 code changes and the bill help align state law with federal disability law. He emphasized that certification through a recognized organization gives code officials confidence that standards are being monitored, and warned that if a recovery home loses certification it would lose the waiver from sprinkler requirements and could be treated more like a boarding or rooming house. No vote or final action was taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legion and VFW post to ask them to pitch in to save a home, get the power turned back on, prevent an eviction
• c><00:23:03.840><c> on</c><00:23:04.600><c> prevent</c><00:23:04.960><c> an</c><00:23:05.320><c> eviction
• </c><00:23:06.320><c> to</c> turned back on prevent an eviction to turned back on prevent an eviction

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• assisted living facility, and so either the provider has to come up with those dollars or the person is evicted
• /c><01:01:52.480><c> is</c> those dollars or the the person is those dollars or the the person is evicted
• 54.039><c> non-payment</c><01:01:54.559><c> of</c><01:01:54.680><c> funds</c><01:01:56.039><c> the</c> evicted
• um for non-payment of funds the evicted um for non-payment of funds the county<01:01:57.440><c> has<

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This authorizes the PCA to decline to provide expedited permitting when it lacks the capacity to provide
• And it authorizes an expedited permitting agreement to provide that if permitting is completed ahead
• </c><00:36:05.560><c> permitting</c><00:36:06.040><c> when</c><00:36:06.160><c> it</c> provide expedited
• permitting when it provide expedited permitting when it lacks<00:36:06.600><c> the</c><00:36:06.680>
• </c> And it authorizes an expedited And it authorizes an expedited permitting<00:36:11.040><c> agreement

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1266 strengthens Idaho's foster care system by expanding expedited placement eligibility
• Currently, Idaho law allows for expedited placement for children... ...frightened and probably a little
• Currently, Idaho law allows for expedited placement for children... ...in difficult time.
• Currently, Idaho law allows for expedited placement for children with relatives.
• Instead, it allows the department to use the same expedited process already available for relatives while

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, received the journal, and heard a prayer and pledge. After committee reports and messages from the House, several bills were advanced through first and second reading, including House Concurrent Resolution 28 on a day of fasting and prayer, and bills on midwifery, electronic registration, soil and water conservation, and public employee retirement contributions. The chamber also took up third-reading legislation and held Senate Bill 1254 and 1264 for one legislative day. On final passage, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1255, which updates Idaho’s involuntary commitment law to allow tribal health care facilities to hold individuals in mental health crisis and recognizes tribal police officers for that purpose. Senators supporting the bill said it would improve coordination on reservations without changing commitment proceedings. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1256, a cleanup bill for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Senate Bill 1262, which revises insurer investment limits by setting a clearer 10% miscellaneous investment allowance; Senate Bill 1265, a technical cleanup of the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act; and Senate Bill 1266, which expands expedited foster placement eligibility to kin with significant family-like relationships. The Senate then passed House Bill 504, which addresses Idaho Lottery practices by defining terms and creating safeguards against bulk ticket purchases by out-of-state entities; supporters said the bill protects fairness and lottery integrity, while one senator voted no. Most of the final votes were 33-0 or 34-0, and House Bill 504 passed 30-4. In miscellaneous business, senators made announcements about local girls basketball championships, upcoming amendment deadlines, and caucuses, and the chamber adjourned until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's correct. ...line 70 says that they shall be expedited by the court to bring a resolution of the
• But I think the fix of it is actually in this bill, which is it gives the court the ability to expedite
• So if they're unworkable, the courts have their own remedy, which is to expedite that process.
• Certainly the court could choose to expedite its processes by, for example, when the secretary provides
• I mean, we already tell the courts that they have to expedite these matters and put them to the top of

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 70 says that they shall be expedited by the court to bring a resolution of the matter prior to the
• So if they're unworkable, the courts have their own remedy, which is to expedite that process, instead
• of a Own remedy, which is to expedite that process.
• Certainly the court could choose to expedite its processes by, for example, when the secretary provides
• I mean, we already tell the courts that they have to expedite these matters and put them to the top of

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 3146, sponsored by Rep. John Simmons, which would expand legislatively written ballot summary statements from 50 to 100 words and create a revised process for court challenges to ballot language. Simmons said the bill is essentially the same as last year’s Senate Bill 22, minus the section the Supreme Court struck down, and argued it would preserve the General Assembly’s role while allowing the Secretary of State and courts to work through objections to ballot summaries. Supporters said the longer summary would better inform voters and that the back-and-forth process had worked in the recent Amendment 3 litigation. Members raised concerns that the bill would encourage misleading or argumentative ballot language, create extra procedural steps, and potentially let the clock run out before challenges are fully resolved. Rep. Woods and others argued the courts are needed to prevent “ballot candy” and dishonest summaries, while supporters countered that the legislature and Secretary of State should have primary authority and that courts should not act as a “super legislature.” The sponsor and supporters also pointed to the recent Amendment 3 process as evidence that the revised procedure can work and produce agreed-upon language. Testimony was split. Campaign Life Missouri, Missouri Right to Life, and a representative from the Secretary of State’s office testified in favor, emphasizing transparency, voter information, and the elected status of the officials drafting ballot language. Opponents included the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, League of Women Voters, Jobs with Justice, Missouri Right to Education, and private citizens, who argued the bill is unconstitutional, undermines separation of powers, and would allow misleading language to survive by dragging out litigation. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• As the speaker mentioned, as we went through and identified the local... ...expedite the process.
• It does allow us to expedite the project materially.
• It does allow us to expedite the project materially.
• The entire purpose of this bill is to expedite this process.
• selection, but it was expedited through just RFP type situation.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Labor

Keywords: 909, all