Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:28:09.120><c> move</c><00:28:09.440><c> from</c><00:28:09.919><c> high</c><00:28:10.159><c> school
• </c> data supported a move from high school data supported a move from high school requirements<00:28
• And so the board still is responsible for establishing curriculum for the schools to implement.
• </c><00:36:18.880><c> They're</c> for the schools to implement.
• They're for the schools to implement.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 5 February, 2026; 8:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• High school football, there's a benefit to high school football, but does involve serious risk of harm
• High school football, there's a benefit to high school football, but does involve serious risk of harm
• High school football, there's a benefit to high school football, but does involve serious risk of harm
• High school football, there's a benefit to high school football, but does involve serious risk of harm
• High school football, there's a benefit to high school football, but does involve serious risk of harm

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• her compensation and threaten to seize it to cover medical expenses, even though the policy was purchased
• was extended into the individual market, allowing individuals and families to have full access to purchase
• While many women rightfully will scold men for purchasing another person for sexual gratification, they
• They will scold men for purchasing another for sexual gratification?
• with this like it's acceptable, wanting to tweak the insurance law so that collectively all who purchase

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills focused on health care access, oversight, and affordability. The first major item was SB 306 by Senator Becker, a prior authorization reform bill. Becker and supporters, including the California Medical Association and California Hospital Association, argued that prior authorization delays care, adds administrative burden, and can lead to serious patient harm. The bill was substantially amended late in the process to have DMHC and CDI identify services and drugs to exempt from prior authorization based on utilization data, with safeguards for fraud, waste, abuse, and patient safety. Health plans and insurers opposed the measure as written, saying prior authorization remains an important utilization-management tool and raising concerns about the 90% threshold, drug inclusion, and how modifications are counted. The committee also heard SB 35 by Senator Umberg, which would let cities or counties inspect unlicensed sober living homes if DHCS does not act promptly on complaints. Supporters said the bill would address weak enforcement and protect residents, while one behavioral health directors group opposed it unless amended. Members generally supported the measure, citing problems with unlicensed facilities and the need for local enforcement backup. The committee then heard SB 62, which would codify California’s updated essential health benefits benchmark if approved by the federal government. Senator Wiener said the package would add hearing aids, durable medical equipment, and infertility treatment including IVF, acknowledging that premiums could rise but arguing the benefits were worth it. Health Access California and other advocates supported the bill, while the California Family Council opposed it. The committee also took up SB 596 by Senator Menjivar, which would tighten the rules for hospitals claiming an on-call list as a defense to nurse staffing ratio penalties. Supporters, including nurses and SEIU, said hospitals have used vague or ineffective on-call practices to avoid accountability and that the bill would improve enforcement and patient safety. Hospital groups opposed it, arguing that staffing is highly dynamic, that hospitals need flexibility to manage acuity and emergencies, and that the bill could increase costs and interfere with collective bargaining arrangements. Finally, the committee heard SB 40 by Senator Wiener, the Insulin Affordability Act, which would cap insulin copays at $35 for a 30-day supply and restrict step therapy unless a plan covers at least one insulin in each drug type. Supporters, including physicians, diabetes advocates, nurses, students, and patient groups, said insulin is life-saving and too often unaffordable, forcing patients to ration or choose between medication and basic needs. There was no formal opposition testimony, though one member questioned why insulin remains so expensive. The committee also began discussion of SB 363, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s full presentation or any action on the measures. No votes are recorded in the portion provided, and several bills were noted as consent items earlier in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of that time is missed opportunities and parcels that we weren't able to purchase because we didn't
• All of that time is missed opportunities and parcels that we weren't able to purchase because we didn't
• All of that time is missed opportunities and parcels that we weren't able to purchase because we didn't
• All of that time is missed opportunities and parcels that we weren't able to purchase because we didn't
• That time is missed opportunities and parcels that we weren't able to purchase because we didn't have

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Housing held a public hearing on a series of housing bills. HB 1432 and HB 1428 drew support from HHFDC, and HB 1428 also received testimony from Hawaiian Community Assets, which said housing counseling funding is needed to meet demand for financial education tied to affordable housing, and that such counseling can help reduce evictions, prevent foreclosure, and stabilize households. HB 833 on community land trusts received broad support from HHFDC, county housing officials, community land trust representatives, and a local developer; testimony emphasized keeping housing affordable in perpetuity, but also asked for clearer access to financing, longer repayment terms, and inclusion of additional land trusts in the bill. Peter Savio argued that community land trusts are the best way to control demand and keep housing tied to local incomes. The committee also heard HB 19 on the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund, which HHFDC said should be made permanent because the pilot has been successful, with 81 units in the program and $7.4 million of the $10 million allocation already committed. HHFDC said the fund helps stalled for-sale projects by providing state equity that revolved back when homes are sold. HB 529 and HB 432 were also heard; HB 432 would create a subaccount in the rental housing revolving fund for projects above 60% AMI, and HHFDC said this would help finance housing for households at 65% and 80% AMI. The bill drew support from several housing, business, and industry groups. Several other housing measures were discussed with mixed testimony. HB 419 had HHFDC support, Limby Hawaiʻi opposition, and support from the Grassroot Institute and others; members asked about whether councils approve these projects in one or multiple readings. HB 527 and HB 416 also drew a mix of support and opposition, with questions focused on county approval timelines and whether state-financed projects would still go through normal local review. HB 417 on the rental housing revolving fund prompted questions about how it differs from the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund and whether it should be more flexible for mixed rental and for-sale projects. HB 418’s proposed working group was noted as potentially unnecessary because HHFDC said a public working group was already being formed. HB 1411 on housing preference raised questions about what happens if a recipient changes jobs, and HB 374 drew an Attorney General’s Office recommendation to remove a duration requirement to avoid possible constitutional travel issues. HB 373 and HB 1492 were also heard, with strong testimony from Peter Savio in favor of a broader trust-based model for affordable housing. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• schools being such a vital part of protection of children?
• Being in school and schools being such a vital part of protection of children? Most definitely.
• The response was that the body scanner has been purchased and is on site at the facility.
• They're traveling to pick up children, drive them to school, drive them to family time and visits.
• </c><02:50:45.560><c> your</c> out of your community your school your out of your community your school

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Division 3 House Finance Committee opened a work session and announced scheduling updates, including a second Medicaid work session on March 5 at 9:00 a.m. and a reminder that recommendations or budget amendments must be moved to the full finance committee by the end of March. Members were told no motions, roll calls, or votes would be taken, and the chair also reviewed upcoming meeting dates and weather-related cancellation procedures. The day’s presentation was a budget work session on the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), with officials Marie Nunan and Nathan White introducing the agency’s budget materials and mission. DCYF’s presentation focused on its core mandates and recent operational changes. Officials described child protective services, juvenile justice services, and the Sununu Youth Services Center, then highlighted workforce improvements, including reduced vacancy rates for assessment caseworkers, juvenile justice officers, and youth counselors. They attributed the staffing gains to legislative pay raises, mass recruitment posting changes, a more stable and trauma-informed model at SYC, and broader flexibility after prior budget cuts and hiring freezes. Members asked about full-time versus part-time staffing, and DCYF said most positions discussed were full-time, with some harder-to-fill part-time youth counselor roles at SYC. The committee also discussed DCYF’s emphasis on serving families earlier through its Community Navigator hotline referrals and community-based voluntary services, which are intended to connect families to supports before abuse or neglect escalates. Officials said the Community Navigator program had received 807 referrals since August 2023. On juvenile justice, DCYF described its assessment and diversion process and said it had reduced juvenile probation involvement by 30% from 2019 to 2023; members were directed to slide 17 for 2024 data, and officials said the trend continued toward fewer in-home juvenile justice cases. The agency also reported progress in kinship care, saying initial out-of-home placements with kin now occur 74% of the time and that kinship placements are associated with more reunification. Officials said kinship caregivers are being licensed and paid similarly to foster parents, and that the legislature’s kinship law has helped. Finally, DCYF outlined transition-age youth supports, including the HOPE program, Youth Villages LifeSet, and housing vouchers. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• O'Keefe earned her PhD at UMass Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology, has worked for DMF
• O'Keefe earned her PhD at UMS, Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology, has worked for DMF,
• At UMass Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology, she has worked for DMF as well as served
• This would allow for the purchase or leasing of quota to increase an individual vessel's limit.
• I'm the dean for the School of Marine Science and Technology.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Atlantic sea scallop fishery, with particular attention to Massachusetts ports, federal scallop management, the proposed reopening of the Northern Edge on Georges Bank, and permit stacking/consolidation. The chair opened by noting the hearing would take written and oral testimony, that time was limited, and that the discussion was intended to inform legislative engagement with federal regulators rather than decide the issue directly. Dan McCarron of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and Dr. Kate O’Keefe of the New England Fishery Management Council outlined the federal management structure under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the role of annual catch limits and rotational closures, and the economic importance of scallops to New Bedford, Gloucester, and other Massachusetts ports. O’Keefe said the council’s current scallop framework is based on annual management, research surveys, and public input, and that recent environmental changes and uncertainty are affecting catch advice and biomass. Dr. O’Keefe and later Dr. Kevin Stokesbury of UMass Dartmouth described the fishery’s recent condition: abundance has increased in some areas, but biomass has fallen because many scallops are still too small to harvest, and changing ocean conditions and natural mortality are affecting the stock. They said the Northern Edge action was considered as a joint scallop/habitat framework but was discontinued in 2024 because the council could not reconcile competing objectives involving scallop yield, habitat protection, and impacts on other species such as cod, lobster, and herring. Stokesbury emphasized the long-running collaborative survey work with industry, said the fishery remains highly productive, and argued that the science supports careful rotational management and that the Northern Edge could be highly productive for scallops, though he acknowledged habitat tradeoffs. Committee members pressed both witnesses on why the issue had remained unresolved for so long and whether the council could revisit it through a future framework. Representatives of the Sustainable Scalloping Fund, including attorney Drew Kavage, John Lees, Sam Blasley, and Tony Alvernes, urged support for reopening the Northern Edge and for permit stacking, which would allow more than one scallop permit on a vessel while keeping ownership caps in place. They argued the fishery is a major economic driver, that industry-funded research has supported sustainable management, and that stacking would help family-owned operators reduce costs, improve safety, and avoid financial distress. They also stressed the need to protect working waterfront infrastructure in New Bedford and other ports. The chair said he was not opposed to stacking in principle but wanted to avoid a slippery slope toward excessive consolidation or private equity control; he noted that any stacking change would require an amendment to the fishery management plan or federal action. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded with an invitation for continued engagement and future updates on the council process.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the time, it's reviewing contracts, things of that nature, but they're building roads, homes, schools
• of the time, it's reviewing contracts, things of that nature, but they're building roads, homes, schools
• Younger families have fewer opportunities to purchase larger family-sized homes, and housing inventory
• public as authorities target immigrant communities in their homes, in hospitals, on their way to school
• Homes, in hospitals, on their way to school, and at work.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They actually do pick up waste and food waste in all of our school districts as well.
• But they also purchased office equipment, so they had this old office equipment.
• Madam Chair, Senator, an expert, my concern here, I can see where the hospitals or schools or this building
• Schools had a problem with that because of federal law, and so that became an issue.
• with farmers expanding operations across the state to provide local food to our communities, our schools

Bills: SB47 , SB110 , SB122 , SB143 , SB168

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: food recovery, composting, waste management, solid waste surcharge, organic waste reduction, environment, grants, advisory group, bosque management, Rio Grande, environmental protection, water resources, fiscal appropriation, drinking water, well owners, water testing, water treatment, public health, agriculture, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• We do 400 pickups from trade painters and churches and schools all over the place in the state.
• Please consider clarifying the pricing through long-term power purchase contracts.
• We built a new high school along improvements to every other school building in the district.
• Also, I would add, our working people also build those schools and the infrastructure that Representative

Bills: HB2515 , HB2343 , HB2301 , HB2272 , HB2367

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: energy facilities, large energy use, regulation, state oversight, infrastructure, water quality, game farms, public health, environmental protection, regulatory oversight, extended producer responsibility, paint waste management, environmental regulations, sustainability, recycling, ski areas, winter sports, terminology update, recreation, regulatory changes

Transcript Highlights:

• we can move it into contract services, we can move it into personnel, and we can move it into the purchase
• Of course, when you have the after-school traffic and the Los Alamos traffic converging on those three
• And I know the department's been working on this, too: initiatives at Taos High School.
• I'm just wondering, are you working with, for example, in Taos High School, where there was a 15-year-old
• Are you working with them to make sure that there is a mental health room in their school so there's

Transcript Highlights:

• He was only days away from his high school graduation.
• He was only days away from his high school school school graduation.<00:32:51.679><c> He</c><00:32:51.919
• for property deeds to address predatory practices by some investors and speculators against deed purchasers

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• upper left: in 2025, the reinsurance costs have declined because the HPIA board made a different purchasing
• upper left: in 2025, the reinsurance costs have declined because the HPIA board made a different purchasing
• upper left: in 2025, the reinsurance costs have declined because the HPIA board made a different purchasing
• </c><01:33:17.600><c> plus</c> the current reinsurance purchase plus the current reinsurance purchase
• [laughter] So hopefully I'm doing a better job. >> Do you—are you—is reinsurance acquisition purchasing

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint committees held an informational briefing on efforts to expand insurance capacity in Hawaii’s property market, especially for condominium and homeowners coverage. The Insurance Commissioner reviewed the background: a legislative task force, the governor’s emergency proclamation in August 2024, and Senate Bill 1044 in May 2025 led to new condo insurance products. He said the work over the past two and a half years was producing positive results and introduced representatives from HPIA and HHRF/HHR to provide updates. HPIA’s board chair and its administrator described the organization’s history, structure, and current products. HPIA said it was created in 1991 as a residual market for homeowners insurance, now writing four residential products: HO2 homeowners, renters, HO6 condo unit owners, and dwelling fire. They reported policy counts have grown again as admitted-market carriers tightened underwriting, and they discussed financial pressure from reinsurance costs, though those costs had declined in 2025 after different purchasing decisions. They also said the market has become more favorable overall, with some capacity returning and deductibles beginning to ease. Members focused much of their questioning on HPIA’s proposed higher dwelling limits. HPIA explained that the current $450,000 limit for homeowners and dwelling fire was set in 2023, but agents are now asking for a higher limit in the $650,000 to $750,000 range because construction costs have risen and many policies are not being submitted when the limit is too low. HPIA said it has the authority to raise the limit through a filing with the Insurance Division and expects more submissions if the cap increases. They also discussed the shift in the book of business from roughly 70% lava-zone coverage to closer to a 50/50 split between lava and non-lava risks. HPIA outlined strategic initiatives: a new policy administration system that went live October 1 and now allows online payments, online claims reporting, and electronic notices; a filed request to raise the homeowners and dwelling fire limit to $650,000 effective March 1 for new business and April 1 for renewals; an increase in the HO6 condo unit owners limit from $5,000 to $100,000; and a planned commercial property all-other-perils-excluding-hurricane condo product targeted for filing by January 31. No votes were taken, and the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have expended $300,000 from that grant in terms of purchasing the necessary capital equipment to
• They have expended $300,000 from that grant in terms of purchasing the necessary capital equipment to
• That $24 million went a long way for many medium and small services, purchasing much-needed equipment
• That $24 million went a long way for many medium and small services, purchasing much-needed equipment
• </c><00:54:00.680><c> uh</c> couple of months uh We've purchased uh couple of months uh We've purchased

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I see children's behavioral health agencies, but the schools can also be agencies.
• I would have to find out from CYFD about how traditionally schools have been handled.
• So I will be happy to follow up with you and just provide you with that information about the school
• The Health Care Authority does oversee the school-based health clinics. Mr.
• In southern New Mexico, one section out of every 36, every township is a school.

Transcript Highlights:

• He went to law school at night and clerked for judges appointed to the district courts of President Clinton
• While also putting himself through law school at night at Brooklyn Law School.
• I was reading law school textbooks on the train during my three-hour commute every day.
• Sadly, I'm not talking about schools.
• Private equity purchased Stewart in 2010.

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: nominations, Deputy Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, Todd Blanch, Gail Slater, confirmation hearing

Summary: The meeting focused on the nominations of Todd Blanch and Gail Slater for the positions of Deputy Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, respectively. The committee considered the qualifications of both nominees, with opening statements provided by the nominees themselves. There was an evident emphasis on the rigorous vetting process that nominees undergo before their selection, highlighting the importance of the roles within the Department of Justice. Members of the committee engaged in a structured question-and-answer session to further evaluate the nominees' capabilities and fit for the positions they were nominated for, with each member allotted seven minutes to pose questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see here that 200 men incarcerated at Rush City do not have a high school GED or diploma.
• R-22 is no longer legal to purchase, so our rink, as well as others across the state, need to address
• 54.360><c> to</c> change out um R22 is no longer legal to change out um R22 is no longer legal to purchase
• :55.920><c> as</c><01:31:56.040><c> well</c><01:31:56.239><c> as</c><01:31:56.560><c> others</c> purchase
• so our rank as well as others purchase so our rank as well as others across<01:31:57.159><c> the</c>

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We cherish our public schools and higher education institutions.
• buses, schools, and at home.
• Did we go to middle school and high school together? And I'm not in school.
• Oh, Al and Mitchell School, too.
• Oh, yeah, I'm a middle school too.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Summary: The hearing covered several public safety bills and related testimony. On S. 2681, “Colby’s Law,” which would establish safety standards for BMX/motocross tracks, the committee heard emotional testimony from the family of a teen killed at a track and from advocates who said minimum standards are needed for barriers, medical staff, emergency planning, insurance, and oversight. A track owner and rider also testified that safety is important but argued the bill was incomplete and should better distinguish between BMX and motocross and include more specific equipment and weather-related rules. On S. 2680, a bill to expand emergency planning around aging nuclear plants and high-level nuclear waste sites, supporters from Cape Cod, medical groups, and anti-nuclear organizations urged a 50-mile emergency planning radius and stronger state preparedness, citing risks from long-term waste storage and inadequate federal oversight. The committee also heard testimony on a Barnstable home rule petition to allow certain emergency response vehicles to use red lights, with the town supporting the change to improve response times on the water. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on H. 5158, the Protect Act, which would limit state and local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. County sheriffs testified about how ICE notifications and detainers work in practice, distinguishing between criminal warrants and civil immigration requests to notify, and describing their discretion when people are released on bail or at the end of a sentence. Sheriffs said they generally notify ICE when requested, especially in cases involving serious charges, but emphasized the need to balance public safety, victim notification, and due process. Committee members pressed them on the impact of ICE pickups at courthouses and jails, and several lawmakers and witnesses argued that pretrial detainees taken by ICE can disrupt prosecutions and deny victims their day in court. Supporters of the Protect Act included labor, education, health care, and immigrant advocacy groups. They said immigrants and mixed-status families are living in fear of routine interactions with police, schools, courts, and hospitals, and urged the committee to ban 287(g) agreements, prohibit law enforcement from asking about immigration status or providing operational assistance to ICE, and add stronger protections for sensitive locations such as schools and health care facilities. Medical witnesses described patients and families avoiding care because of ICE presence, and educators said students are missing school out of fear. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and indicated it would continue receiving written testimony before taking action later.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cherish our public schools and higher education institutions.
• But the one thing I knew I had access to, no matter what, was school.
• buses, schools, and at home.
• Do we go to middle school and high school together? And I'm not in school.
• Oh, Al and Mitchell School, too.

Bills: H4697 , S2635 , S2680 , S2681 , H5158

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: constables, civil deputy sheriffs, law enforcement, training, certification, public safety, emergency response, red lights, Barnstable, town management, public health, safety standards, nuclear power, waste management, community protection, BMX, motocross, safety, regulation, insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• They do a lot of before- and after-school activities, and particularly in the summer they're very busy
• I believe this is a regional park and it's actually right next to some DNR land that was purchased also
• I believe this is a regional park and it's actually right next to some DNR land that was purchased also
• I believe this is a regional park and it's actually right next to some DNR land that was purchased also
• The representative said this is a regional park, right next to some DNR land that was also purchased

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• this information, data mining, creating profiles that the government will then go as a customer to purchase
• Uh and that's that's a to purchase.
• c> and</c><01:07:19.760><c> daycarees,</c><01:07:20.559><c> and</c><01:07:20.799><c> seven</c> uh schools
• and daycarees, and seven uh schools and daycarees, and seven medical<01:07:21.599><c> care</c><01:07
• And I think the Amber Alert yesterday, the little girl was last seen getting off the school bus, wasn't

Keywords: 1183, house