Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I appreciate both you and your staff working collaboratively on this bill.
• You know, I appreciate both you and your staff working collaboratively on this bill.
• In the end, this bill reflects a tremendous amount of work that's gone into collaboration.
• We appreciate the collaboration and we'll be hopefully working with the author as the bill moves forward

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard several bills focused on active transportation, transit, road safety, and local enforcement. SB 569 would restrict removal or downgrading of bikeways built with state General Fund dollars for at least 20 years, require public hearings before major changes, and was supported by bicycle advocates and some local and environmental groups. The City of Encinitas opposed the bill, arguing it could limit needed safety fixes and should apply only to future projects; committee members discussed whether the bill still allowed safety-based modifications. The bill passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations. SB 741 would streamline the Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program by reducing administrative burden and giving transit agencies more flexibility to use funds for service improvements, fare programs, and other transit needs while maintaining oversight and disadvantaged community requirements. Transit agencies and advocacy groups supported the measure, saying it would help agencies respond to post-pandemic ridership and financial challenges. The committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1167, which would tighten consumer protections by clarifying that high-powered e-motos and similar motor vehicles are not e-bikes, requiring clearer disclosures and labels, and improving crash reporting. Supporters said the bill would reduce confusion and improve safety for riders, pedestrians, and parents; the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed unless amended, arguing the term “e-bike” is used broadly and the bill could affect existing businesses. The bill passed to Appropriations. Later, SB 953, dealing with vehicular manslaughter cases dismissed through misdemeanor diversion, would add DMV points so fatal conduct remains reflected on driving records; the bill was supported by the victim’s family and safety advocates and passed to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1218, which would let local agencies boot vehicles tied to repeated unpaid illegal dumping citations instead of using DMV enforcement. Oakland officials and community groups supported the bill as a needed deterrent, while the ACLU opposed it as punitive debt collection without a sufficient nexus to the vehicle. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 739 would revise the Clean Miles Standard for rideshare companies by allowing CARB and CPUC to adjust electric vehicle mileage targets in light of current market conditions; Uber and Lyft supported the flexibility, while clean air advocates began raising concerns about weakening climate goals as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um the A1 basically is some recommendations and collaborative effort through labor and um utilities about
• basically is some recommendations the A1 basically is some recommendations and<00:32:22.240><c> collaborative
• </c><00:32:22.680><c> effort</c><00:32:23.080><c> through</c><00:32:23.840><c> labor</c> and collaborative
• effort through labor and collaborative effort through labor and<00:32:25.320><c> um</c> and um and um

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it ensures both providers and payers participate in good faith collaboration.
• 55.360><c> faith</c> and payers participate in good faith and payers participate in good faith collaboration
• c> This</c><00:11:57.200><c> amendment</c><00:11:57.680><c> creates</c><00:11:58.160><c> a</c> collaboration
• This amendment creates a collaboration.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You got all sorts of universities allowing ICE activities and collaboration, sharing of information because
• ><c> and</c> universities allowing ICE activities and universities allowing ICE activities and collaboration
• <00:31:58.159><c> sharing</c><00:31:58.480><c> of</c><00:31:58.640><c> information</c> collaboration
• sharing of information collaboration sharing of information because<00:31:59.600><c> of</c><00:31:59.840

Bills: HB1577 , HB1870

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: Smart911, 911, 911 Board, emergency response, public safety answering point, PSAP, next-generation 911, NG911, dispatch, dispatcher, emergency profile, safety profile, medical information, disability access, access needs, functional needs, kupuna, aging, developmental disabilities, communication access

Summary: The committee reconvened on March 19, 2026, for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week. It first took up HB 812 on agriculture, agreeing to move it forward with amendments and a Senate draft, and then HB 2388 on public notice, which was also passed with amendments after concerns about transparency and the need for local newspaper notice on Maui were discussed. HB 1414 on procurement and HB 2469 on a regular session review working group were both deferred to March 24 for further work with the author, while HB 322 on voter registration was deferred indefinitely in favor of a Senate vehicle. The committee then heard HB 1577, which would create a statewide emergency safety profile system pilot program and working group for 911. Testimony from disability advocates, emergency medical services, and others strongly supported the bill, emphasizing benefits for people without smartphones, better sharing of medical and emergency information, and improved response in the field. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the 911 Board already had the authority to implement the system without legislation, and the bill was not immediately acted on in the portion of the transcript provided. The final major item was HB 1870 on protected community locations. Testimony in support came from the University of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, immigrant-rights groups, public health advocates, and many individuals, while the Department of Education supported the measure but requested clarity on federal compliance and raised concerns about a 1,000-foot perimeter beyond campus. Supporters said the bill would protect sensitive locations and help immigrant families feel safe accessing schools, health care, and other services. No final vote on HB 1870 is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was actually a very big success story that was, that we came together and collaborated with each
• There's got to be a little bit more shared data or collaboration or something happening with our schools
• I was asked about interagency collaboration with these different groups. I mentioned DCFS already.
• The pilot we're doing there, we're trying to make that a cross-agency collaboration about what could

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth approved the December 10 minutes and confirmed Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee. The committee then heard the annual Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review report, which said the state reviewed 148 of 170 non-natural child deaths in 2023; the reviewed deaths included 69 accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined causes. Members asked about how the report’s recommendations could be used, grant opportunities tied to prevention work, and whether the data could be broken down by age; presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies and nonprofits and that some age detail is available in later pages of the report. The committee next took up HCR 1010 and then a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Senator Missy Irvin, judges, and Administrative Office of the Courts staff described Arkansas’s use of validated risk assessments, including SAVRY, the Ohio Youth Assessment Tool, MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening, as part of a long-running effort to reduce juvenile incarceration and tailor services to individual youth and families. They said the reforms have contributed to fewer delinquency filings, fewer DYS commitments, and more diversions, while also emphasizing that mental health, substance abuse, school issues, and trauma often drive juvenile court involvement. Several members raised concerns about data gaps, school collaboration, and whether community-based services are sufficient, and presenters said more shared data and stronger school use of safety dashboards could help intervene earlier. Division of Youth Services Director Michael Crump then presented custody, education, recidivism, and cost data. He said DYS commitments rose after the pandemic, secure residential populations remain high, and detention-center use increased when intake beds filled; he also noted that DYS pays about $320 per day for secure custody and that detention beds cost roughly $90 to $100 per day. Crump said most youth in custody are older teens, about 80 percent are male, and many have behavioral-health needs or educational deficits; he reported 222 GEDs and 102 high school diplomas over six years. He also said about 15 to 19 percent of youth return to DYS within three years and that a larger share later enter the Department of Corrections, while members pressed him on how assessments relate to commitments, how low-risk cases are handled, and how to improve mental health and substance-abuse services statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is actually a very big success story that we came together and collaborated on, and this was the
• There’s got to be a little bit more... ...shared data or collaboration or something happening with our
• I was asked about interagency collaboration with these different groups. I mentioned DCFS already.
• The pilot we're doing there, we're trying to make that a cross-agency collaboration about what could

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth met to approve prior minutes, confirm Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee, and receive several presentations. The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review team reported on unexpected child deaths in Arkansas, saying its 2023 review covered 148 of 170 non-natural deaths, with the remainder unavailable due to criminal investigations or missing records. Of the reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined, and members discussed how the report’s recommendations could be used by agencies and nonprofits for prevention work and grant applications. Committee members also asked about age breakdowns and how the data could be shared without identifying individual cases. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was intended to confront data on juvenile incarceration and system outcomes. Senator Missy Irvin, judges Troy Braswell and Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described the state’s long-running reform efforts, including the SAVRY risk assessment, diversion programs, and efforts to keep more youth in their communities. They said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, but also emphasized ongoing gaps in mental health, substance abuse, and school-based supports. Members raised concerns about school data sharing, behavioral health access, and how to better identify youth with disabilities or trauma earlier. Judge Braswell and others stressed that many youth in the system have significant trauma, family instability, or unmet treatment needs, and that judges need individualized information to make decisions. Several members discussed the role of schools, the school safety dashboard, and the need for stronger community providers, especially in rural areas. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided data on commitments, facility use, demographics, offense levels, length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, and costs. He said commitments rose after the pandemic and then began to decline, while secure and detention costs increased with the need for more beds; he also noted that most youth in custody have behavioral health needs and that DYS works closely with DCFS, courts, and providers. No final action was taken on HCR 1010 during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is actually a very big success story that we came together and collaborated on, and it was the legislative
• And they’re also in the court system, there’s got to be a little bit more shared data or collaboration
• I was asked about interagency collaboration with these different groups. I mentioned DCFS already.
• The pilot we're doing there, we're trying to make that a cross-agency collaboration about what could

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then approved Representative Bentley’s appointment to the Child Maltreatment Oversight Committee. Members then received the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review annual report, which covered unexpected child deaths in 2023. Reviewers said 170 non-natural deaths were identified, but 22 could not be reviewed because of criminal investigations, prosecutions, or missing records. Of the 148 reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 were undetermined causes, including sudden unexpected infant death. Members asked how the report’s recommendations could be used, and presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies, nonprofits, and others; they also noted that child abuse prevention grant applications are being shaped by the report’s recommendations and offered to share the RFP with the committee. A question about suicide and homicide data by age was answered by pointing members to the age breakdown in the report, with most of those deaths concentrated among 15- to 17-year-olds. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was meant to confront data on juvenile incarceration and the cost of the system, while Senator Irvin, Judge Troy Braswell, Judge Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described years of reform efforts built around validated risk assessments, diversion, and community-based services. They said Arkansas adopted tools such as SAVRY, the MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening to individualize juvenile court responses, and they emphasized that the goal is to keep children at home and in their communities when safe to do so. Members discussed the need for more mental health and substance-abuse services, better school collaboration, and the role of school safety dashboards and FINS/truancy cases in identifying problems earlier. Judges and staff said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, though they noted data gaps in some counties and the need for better reporting. They also stressed that some serious offenses still require detention or commitment, and that judges must balance public safety with rehabilitation. Representative Barnes and others asked whether the numbers might be worse without judicial discretion and community programs, and the presenters agreed that individualized decision-making and graduated sanctions matter. Representative Inatt asked about tracking youth with disabilities, and the presenters said that specific diagnoses are not currently tracked but that national court data efforts may soon add behavioral-health data points. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided detailed data on DYS commitments, secure and community-based placements, detention-center use, demographics, offense levels, average length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, costs, and interagency coordination. He said commitments fell sharply during COVID, have since risen and then begun to decline, and that the system is working to reduce detention use, improve education and treatment, and expand community-based providers statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• on education, technical assistance, legislative representatives such as this meeting here, and collaboration
• this meeting representatives such as this meeting here<00:50:10.880><c> and</c><00:50:11.200><c> collaboration
• </c><00:50:11.920><c> among</c><00:50:12.240><c> the</c><00:50:12.400><c> health</c> here and collaboration
• among the health here and collaboration among the health officers.<00:50:13.119><c> It's</c><00:50:13.280

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met on December 19, 2025, approved the draft minutes from the November 21 regular meeting, and received a DHS commissioners update. Patricia Tilly reported on the state’s rural health transformation application, saying CMS had provided only one question and positive feedback, that the final federal award amount was still pending, and that DHS was preparing an accept-and-expend item for fiscal review using an up-to amount. She also said the new Hampstead YDC facility remains on track, with substantive construction expected by late summer 2026 and move-in likely in early January 2027. In response to questions, she confirmed the playground/outdoor activity area had been in the original design and was added when funding became available. Henry Litman, Medicaid director, discussed the Senate Bill 248 study committee report on palliative and hospice care. He explained the distinction between palliative care, which can be provided while a patient still seeks curative treatment, and hospice care, which involves electing not to pursue curative services. He said the committee’s work pointed to a need for better education for providers and the public, and described ongoing conversations with the Foundation for Healthy Communities and Home Health and Hospice about developing materials and possibly addressing how palliative services are bundled. He also said the study committee itself did not generate future legislation, though members could pursue it separately. Litman then answered questions about Medicaid eligibility and long-term services and supports, including delays in processing, the backlog from pandemic-era redeterminations, and efforts to speed reviews. He said the department is using temporary staffing funded in part by last session’s legislation, working with the New Hampshire Healthcare Association, counties, and UNH Law to streamline policy and training, and relying more on electronic asset verification while still guarding against improper asset transfers. He emphasized the goal of balancing faster access to benefits with compliance and fraud prevention. Robert Rodler followed with the annual tuition waiver update for children in foster care or guardianship. He reported 82 applicants and 65 waivers granted, including 35 for USNH schools and 30 for the community college system, and noted a correction would be issued for inaccurate continuing/new student figures in the report. Senator Gray said he intends to pursue a separate budget appropriation for these tuition waiver costs in the future so the funding would be clearly identified and easier to track. No additional votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• the attention of the task force by members, by the family members of those victims, asking for collaboration
• And we'd love guidance and collaboration as we engage with agencies, particularly for this final year
• Great questions from members, and we'll need a lot of detailed collaboration with agencies.
• Detailed collaboration with agencies. Thank you all very much. Reviewed you may take with you.

Summary: The Department of Public Safety presented its FY27 budget request, emphasizing three priorities: improving community engagement through a redesigned website and outreach, expanding statewide data and intelligence integration through intelligence-led policing, and improving emergency response and officer safety through fleet replacement, a driving track, and a requested helicopter. DPS said much of its increase is driven by rising health care premiums, and it is also seeking special appropriations for fleet replacement, the website rebuild, and an Honor Guard program created after the 2022 helicopter crash that killed four public servants. Members asked about vacancies, fleet costs, cybersecurity compliance, the real-time crime center, EV fleet participation, and the Metro DPS facility. DPS said its vacancy rate is about 9%, its fleet replacement needs are driven by mileage and condition, it is compliant with federal CJIS standards even though DoIT has raised concerns, the real-time crime center would be built as a regional model to complement Albuquerque’s center, and the Metro facility is moving toward a January groundbreaking. Committee members also discussed several DPS-related capital and IT requests, including the intelligence-led policing data lake, recurring maintenance for critical systems, and a $5.6 million reauthorization for state crime lab DNA backlog work and a $900,000 reauthorization for fingerprinting equipment. DPS explained that the website request is high because the current site must be rebuilt from scratch to support missing-person alerts, memorial updates, ADA compliance, and better communication with law enforcement and the public. Members also raised concerns about speed enforcement, construction-zone cameras, and whether EVs are practical for patrol use; DPS said it is not pursuing speed cameras and is only partially participating in the state EV initiative because patrol needs make full electrification difficult. The committee then received an LFC quarterly update on non-recurring appropriations from the 2025 General Appropriation Act. LFC reported that of the $1.4 billion appropriated in Section 5, $164 million had been expended and $333 million encumbered, leaving $897.4 million unspent, which is a slower pace than the prior year. Staff highlighted a number of reauthorization requests and slow-moving projects across agencies, including AOC cybersecurity funding, DFA housing and public safety grants, DoIT cybersecurity and higher education funds, EDD economic development and energy programs, OSI mitigation and malpractice funds, EMNRD energy and geothermal grants, Health Care Authority behavioral health-related appropriations, DPS crime lab and fingerprinting funds, PED career technical education and special education initiatives, and higher education loan repayment and technology funds. Members questioned why some large appropriations had little or no spending, discussed the need to monitor reauthorizations more closely, and asked for follow-up on several specific line items and project balances.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the investments you've made, the work of this department in collaboration with the Children's Cabinet
• able to see how that role has strengthened Our state and how we have learned so much and how the collaboration
• And we do active tribal consultation and collaboration through the Tribal Advisory Coalition, as well
• It is in the State Tribal Collaboration Act by Every program, how many Native American children are served

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that it actually made for more work because we were collaborating and constantly working through
• actually made for more work because we actually made for more work because we were<00:35:36.800><c> collaborating
• </c><00:35:37.359><c> and</c><00:35:37.520><c> we</c><00:35:37.680><c> were</c> were collaborating and
• we were were collaborating and we were constantly<00:35:38.320><c> working</c><00:35:38.480><c> through

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But yeah, we do collaborate with DOA. Thank you, Chair. Okay, anybody else? Any other questions?
• yeah we<00:34:01.399><c> do</c><00:34:01.720><c> yeah</c><00:34:01.880><c> we</c><00:34:02.000><c> collaborate
• </c><00:34:02.480><c> with</c><00:34:02.919><c> do</c><00:34:03.480><c> thank</c> we do yeah we collaborate
• with do thank we do yeah we collaborate with do thank you<00:34:03.880><c> thank</c><00:34:04.000><c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1232, which would create a three-year wastewater technology testing pilot program at the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center and coordinate testing with state and county agencies. The Department of Health, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and University of Hawaiʻi representatives supported the bill, saying it would help certify new wastewater technologies, lower costs for cesspool conversions, and provide data to the Department of Health. Testifiers said the prior testing effort ended after the departure of Dr. Roger Babcock, and that the new program would use National Sanitation Foundation standards, graduate students, and local wastewater facilities such as Wahiawa. Committee members asked about the $750,000 total cost, the scope of existing research, prior test sites, and whether the program would be tied to individuals or a permanent program. One member raised concerns about the fairness and data basis for sewer conversion decisions in local communities, and the University said it would follow national standards and share results openly. The committee then took up Senate Bill 686, relating to a short-term management initiative for coconut rhinoceros beetle response and related appropriations. The Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaiʻi testified in support, while a county representative and other advocates urged broader statewide coverage, including Kauaʻi, and asked that appropriated funds be usable on any island. Testimony emphasized the need for immediate action, outreach, tree-trimmer training, canopy treatments, K-9 inspections, container fumigation, and biocontrol research. A member summarized the bill’s funding components, including amounts for training, residential palm treatments, response teams, inspections, fumigation, and research, and noted the importance of directing money toward on-the-ground response. Committee questions focused on how much funding remained available, how the agencies would coordinate with DOA, whether the department was prepared to manage all the bill’s functions, and how infestations were being communicated to the public. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 657, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology’s Center for Climate Resilient Development. The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in strong support, and the Department of Health also supported the measure, noting that it relies on the center’s data to inform decisions and recommendations on projects. The discussion on this item was brief in the portion provided, with no vote or final action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• direct interaction with our dedicated faculty and the support they receive on campus alongside the collaborative
• </c><00:05:23.520><c> learning</c> alongside the collaborative learning alongside the collaborative learning
• And we're designing spaces that foster collaboration and peer-to-peer mentoring.
• And we're designing spaces that foster collaboration and peer-to-peer mentoring.
• This particular project is, as Representative Anderson mentioned, a collaboration between many different

Bills: HF2418 , HF1666 , HF232 , HF344 , HF402 , HF431 , HF468 , HF547 , HF583 , HF1476 , HF1711 , HF2787 , HF2788 , HF3207

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: capital investment, political subdivisions, state assistance, funding, project grants, child care, Slayton, state bonds, economic development, extended time revenue, school funding, state aid, career and technical education, CTE, STEM, secondary credit, after-school programs, summer school, learning year program, extended day

Transcript Highlights:

• And I appreciate the way that you folks are approaching it in a very collaborative way, developing a
• </c><00:11:44.160><c> in</c><00:11:44.279><c> a</c><00:11:44.399><c> very</c><00:11:44.639><c> collaborative
• </c> aree approaching in a very collaborative aree approaching in a very collaborative way<00:11:45.800
• This legislation was developed in collaboration with Senate Counsel to improve efficiency and reduce
• This legislation was developed in collaboration with Senate Counsel to improve efficiency and reduce

Bills: HF1380 , HF1166 , HF487 , HF1553 , HF1472 , HF258 , HF1911

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: psychiatric treatment, human services, mental health funding, per diem rate, Clay County, disability services, assistive technology, remote support, advocacy, training programs, HF487, Wellness in the Woods, Minnesota human services, grant funding, general fund appropriation, peer support, substance use recovery, addiction recovery, reentry services, reentry after incarceration

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:35:31.599><c> this</c><00:35:31.760><c> and</c><00:35:31.920><c> in</c><00:35:32.079><c> collaboration
• </c> to address this and in collaboration to address this and in collaboration with<00:35:32.720><c>
• 33.680><c> Health</c><00:35:33.960><c> Group</c><00:35:34.480><c> we</c> To address this, and in collaboration
• It provides long-term protection and strengthens the collaborative relationship between providers and
• Thank you. collaborative relationship between collaborative relationship between providers<00:36:39.560

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• difference between the governor's proposal and ours, but it's something that we're talking about collaboratively
• I look forward to continuing collaboration with all stakeholders as this bill moves through the process
• I look forward to continuing collaboration with all stakeholders as this bill moves through the process
• </c><00:25:29.640><c> with</c><00:25:29.760><c> all</c> continuing collaboration with all continuing
• collaboration with all stakeholders<00:25:30.559><c> as</c><00:25:30.679><c> this</c><00:25:30.799><c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators Ball and Pelton B. and Representatives Woodro and Woo concerning protections against abusive practices
• House Bill 1141 concerning civil rights violations involving discriminatory practices in public schools
• So we were highly motivated to make sure we worked collaboratively and we worked collaboratively and

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But they are also the ultimate collaborators, assisting in, and sometimes taking the lead on, pests that
• : biosecurity is a cooperative effort that requires not only government, but more importantly, collaboration
• </c><00:20:46.919><c> with</c> But more importantly, collaboration with communities, especially those
• This success was the collaborative efforts of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Team, Department
• This success was the collaborative efforts of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Team, Department

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate agriculture committees met on January 17, 2025, for an informational briefing on biosecurity and invasive species; Chair Kahaloa opened by noting there would be no public testimony. Members introduced themselves, and the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) program manager Chelsea Arnot outlined the purpose of the briefing and the statewide impacts of invasive species, citing examples such as coconut rhinoceros beetle, little fire ant, coquí frogs, albizia, and mosquito-borne disease. She emphasized that biosecurity requires coordinated action across state departments, counties, federal agencies, universities, and communities, and highlighted HISC’s role in funding interagency projects, island invasive species committees, research, outreach, and early detection efforts. Arnot and HISC representatives described major funding and program needs, including a requested $4.25 million increase to HISC to raise its baseline budget to $10 million, support island committee operations, research, biocontrol, marine biosecurity, surveillance, and staffing. They also requested $500,000 for the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab, saying it is critical to invasive ant research and little fire ant response. The briefing also noted HISC’s leverage of federal dollars, including a $4.6 million REPI award with HISC providing the match, and cited successful collaborative eradications and responses, including veiled chameleons on Maui, axis deer on Hawaiʻi Island, and a 2023 coconut rhinoceros beetle response on Maui that prevented further spread. Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture officials then discussed implementation of updated administrative rules effective January 20, 2025, which permanently restrict movement of coconut rhinoceros beetle host material and give the department stronger authority to stop movement of infested material. They reported 2024 import activity of about 50,000 ship and aircraft arrivals, inspection/clearance of 20 million pieces, and 16,000 interceptions, with additional staffing from Act 231 expected to increase interceptions. They also described Act 231 funding and current spending status: about 65% obligated and 52% encumbered, with some funds tied to contracts for CRB and little fire ant response, plus an $800,000 green-waste hauling RFP that had to be reissued because of a flaw. The department said 580 Oʻahu homes and 290 Hawaiʻi Island homes are slated for little fire ant treatment, while Maui and Kauaʻi will focus on survey and outreach. Members questioned how homes are selected for subsidized treatment, whether HISC and the island invasive species committees received Act 231 support, and whether the state should direct how contracted funds are prioritized. Representative Martin raised concerns that the RFP limited eligibility to private pest control companies and excluded more experienced entities such as the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab. Department officials said they would follow up on prioritization and funding details, and noted that emergency proclamations and procurement flexibility could help with rapid response and hiring during invasive species emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• 37.919><c> then</c><00:21:38.799><c> we</c> Strategically, and then we also are open to agency collaborations
• As long as they see that we have a good-faith effort moving forward on this collaboratively, then they're
• As long as they see that we have a good-faith effort moving forward on this collaboratively, then they're
• /c><01:36:07.440><c> and</c> radiation protection standard and radiation protection standard and practices
• . practices. practices.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> end this practice in this legislature. end this practice in this legislature.
• as things go and work uh collaboratively as things go forward.<03:16:22.960><c> But</c><03:16:23.120
• But we can't even practice what we preach here.
• </c><03:48:16.080><c> what</c><03:48:16.319><c> we</c> But we can't even practice what we But we can't
• even practice what we preach<03:48:17.399><c> here.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all