Transcript Highlights:

• I guess I just am curious about sort of balancing public benefit and private benefit when we're investing
• c><00:42:51.920><c> about</c><00:42:52.880><c> sort</c><00:42:53.200><c> of</c><00:42:53.839><c> balancing
• </c> um am curious about sort of balancing um am curious about sort of balancing public<00:42:56.240>
• Also, you know, just trying to find a balance in there.

Bills: HB1721 , HB1714 , HB1718 , HB1732 , HB1740 , HB1777 , HB1842 , HB1919 , HB1701 , HB1923 , HB1741 , HB1734 , HB1739

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: housing, expedited permits, insurance, indemnification, construction, affordable housing, executive compensation, Hawaii housing finance, legislative approval, low-income housing, moderate-income housing, mixed-use development, transit-oriented development, TOD, county powers, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, HHFDC, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, DHHL, affordable housing credits

Summary: The House Housing Committee met on February 4 and heard testimony on several housing measures, beginning with HB1721, which clarifies insurance, indemnification, and certificate-of-occupancy requirements for expedited permits. Testimony on HB1721 was uniformly supportive from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the Grassroot Institute, and individual testifiers, who said the bill would fix insurance issues for design professionals and encourage more participation in the expedited-permit program. No opposition was heard and no questions were raised. The committee then heard HB1714, which would raise salary caps for the executive director and deputy executive director positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and allow more autonomy in personnel matters, including employment contracts. HHFDC supported the bill, saying greater flexibility is needed to recruit and retain staff and that current pay ceilings are not the main issue because the agency lacks operating funds to reach them. The Department of Human Resources Development offered comments and raised concerns about autonomous personnel authority and employment contracts, saying state personnel matters are governed by existing statutes and collective bargaining rules; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority also offered comments, and one board member and one individual opposed the measure. Members questioned whether performance-based pay or existing incentive policies could address retention instead of statutory salary changes. The committee also heard HB1718, which would make permanent county authority to facilitate mixed-use developments and issue county bonds for low- and moderate-income housing projects. Support came from OPSD, HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management, and Housing Hawaii’s Future, all emphasizing that permanent authority is needed to finance long-term mixed-use and transit-oriented projects. A member asked whether the sunset provision would make bonding impractical, and the city representative agreed that temporary authority would make financing difficult because development takes time. Later, the committee took up HB1732, establishing the Kamina Homes program to fund counties’ purchase of voluntary deed restrictions from eligible buyers. The Department of Taxation and several groups, including HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Realtors, Holomua Collaborative, and others testified, with most supporting the bill as a way to help local families remain in Hawaii and age in place. Holomua said a recent survey found 75% of 3,200 working families were considering moving, and argued the bill could preserve housing for local residents. Members asked about the bill’s 8% cap on deed-restriction cost and why the program focuses on residency rather than resale restrictions; the bill’s proponents said the cap allows flexibility for county negotiations and that the measure is aimed at workforce preservation rather than land-trust-style appreciation limits. Finally, the committee heard HB1740, which would modify a prior HHFDC housing pathway by reducing the qualified-resident requirement from 100% to 80% and allowing more flexibility for long-term rental instead of owner occupancy. HHFDC and Holomua Collaborative supported the change, saying the earlier 100% requirement had produced no developments or applicants and that the revised standard would make projects more feasible while still preserving housing for local residents. The committee did not take final votes on these measures during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• position you are in the Commonwealth here for, I believe, the legislature, where you can give us a balanced
• position you are in the Commonwealth here for, I believe, the legislature, where you can give us a balanced
• 26.320><c> a</c> the legislature where you can give us a the legislature where you can give us a balanced
• 27.599><c> what's</c><01:52:27.840><c> going</c><01:52:28.000><c> on</c><01:52:28.560><c> at</c> balanced
• approach on what's going on at balanced approach on what's going on at the<01:52:28.960><c> executive

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:27 Legislative Research Commission 00:01:15 KentuckyWired Operations Company 00:17:30 Wireless Internet Service Providers Association 00:40:15 Administrative Office of the Courts 01:08:55 Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts 01:33:00, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the July 9 minutes without objection and heard from Jay Hartz and Jonathan Harris of the Legislative Research Commission. Members asked about Capitol and legislator security in light of recent targeted shootings in other states. Hartz said LRC had removed members’ home addresses from its website, was reviewing other state-government records for similar information, and was working with the Speaker, Senate President, Kentucky State Police, and outside security experts on broader safety measures. He also said LRC is exploring commercial products to help block personal contact information from public view, but declined to name vendors publicly. Harris added that driver’s license scans at the Capitol are handled by Kentucky State Police, while LRC has a process for flagging high-volume or concerning contacts for police review. The LRC also reported that redistricting work has already begun, with census coordination underway, evaluation of redistricting software including Mapitude and open-source tools, and plans to make the same tools available to the public in the LRC library. The committee then heard from Kentucky Wired Operations Company CEO Robert Morphonius, COO Tom Snyder, and counsel Patrick Hughes about the Kentucky Wired network. They explained the corporate structure: Kentucky Wired Operations Company is a private for-profit special purpose entity that designs, builds, operates, and maintains the network; Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Company is a nonprofit instrumentality used for financing; and Open Fiber Kentucky handles commercialization of excess capacity under a wholesale agreement. They said Kentucky Wired Operations is in the operations and maintenance phase, with those obligations continuing until 2045, and that technical changes to the network generally require KCNA approval through formal change-order processes. They also said the company conducted a market test in June 2023 under Schedule 19 of its contract, considered proposals including Open Fiber and the incumbent service provider, and retained the existing provider. Members asked about KCNA’s role, procurement, network customers, and revenue. The witnesses said Quac operates outside normal state procurement because its process is governed by contract, while KCNA acts as the Commonwealth’s oversight authority and filter for changes. They identified current network users as including AOC, KCTCS, postsecondary education, and other Commonwealth agencies, with all requests routed through KCNA; they also said a separate change process for Exceliccom is in litigation. On funding, they said the operation is paid through monthly appropriations, with roughly a million dollars a month for the service provider and a couple hundred thousand for Quac’s oversight, not including debt service, which is bundled into the availability payment. The discussion ended as members began asking about responsibility for damage-related costs such as squirrel-related outages.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll be a balance between what the legislature expected and what happened and what the results of that
• It'll be uh a balance<00:09:53.120><c> between</c><00:09:53.600><c> what</c><00:09:53.839><c> the</c>
• <00:09:54.080><c> legislature</c> balance between what the legislature balance between what the legislature
• Prior to that, the advice we received when we were struggling to keep up with her medical bills and balance

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first heard brief presentations on Kentucky’s 2025 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Department for Public Health staff explained that the preventive health block grant provides about $2.3 million annually and supports programs such as accreditation and performance improvement, local health department grants, community health workers, prescription assistance, asthma and COPD programs, workforce development, and a sexual assault programs set-aside. They said the Title V block grant provides about $11.7 million, with 35% directed to children and youth with special health care needs and 65% to maternal and child health populations, largely through local health departments and a five-year needs assessment process. After no questions, a motion was made and seconded to approve both block grants. The roll call vote passed 19-0, and the two block grants were approved. The committee then approved the minutes from the prior meeting. The next item was a discussion of the child waiver created in House Bill 6. Committee members raised concerns that the proposed 1915(c) waiver did not match the legislature’s intent, which they said was to move children from the Michelle P. waiver to free slots for adults. Cabinet officials from DCBS, behavioral health, and Medicaid described the proposed “Community Health for Improved Lives and Development” waiver as a targeted home- and community-based program for children under 21 with severe behavioral health or developmental needs, including those stepping down from inpatient or residential care or at risk of out-of-home placement. They said the waiver is designed for about 100 slots, uses a standardized needs-based assessment, and includes case management, community living supports, home modifications, respite, supervised residential care, and clinical therapeutic services. Officials said the public comment period ended July 15, responses are being compiled for August submission to CMS, and the waiver is part of the broader Families First initiative.

Transcript Highlights:

• increase the current ceiling for the mass transit special fund for the ability to minimize the carryover balance
• ability to meet the required stipulations in a timely manner, which will leave us with carryover balances
• Recommendations adopted. will leave us with carryover. carryover will leave us with carryover. carryover balances
• </c><02:56:23.840><c> Okay,</c> balances again. Okay, thank you. Okay, balances again.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> I</c><04:21:05.439><c> had</c><04:21:05.600><c> to</c> But in 2012 I had to take this money to balance
• So it looks like it's a target if we're going to balance the budget. Where's the big money?
• looks like it's a target if we're going looks like it's a target if we're going to<04:21:27.680><c> balance
• </c><04:21:28.560><c> Where's</c><04:21:28.800><c> the</c><04:21:28.960><c> big</c> to balance the budget
• Where's the big to balance the budget.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee worked through a series of budget amendments, mostly to House Bill 2 and related House Bill 1 changes, with members discussing whether to reduce or preserve funding for various programs. Early actions included approving an amendment to House Bill 219 that delays implementation of renewable energy-related provisions to 2027, and approving an amendment that removes a $150,000 appropriation tied to a housing-related database while allowing use of housing fund money for the project. The committee also approved an amendment affecting magistrates so they could continue pretrial and other judicial support work, while noting they would not handle bail and that the change reflected separate legislation already signed by the governor. Members then approved a series of administrative savings items in the Department of Administrative Services, including eliminating a long-vacant computer analyst position and reducing overtime and recruiting/subscription-tool budgets. They also approved an amendment cutting marketing and administrative support for the paid family leave program, with members emphasizing that the program itself would continue. A proposed cut to the WorkInvest NH program was discussed at length, with some members arguing it benefits workers and employers and others noting the cost is borne by employers; the committee ultimately set that item aside without taking action. The committee also debated and then approved a modest reduction to a BEA regional planning grant, despite objections that regional planning commissions provide valuable municipal support. The most extended discussion centered on the State Library. Representative Sweeney said he did not want to pursue a full cut of the library and instead favored a more targeted approach, noting that some federal funding for library services such as interlibrary loans and the Libby system may be at risk. Members discussed alternatives, including unfilled positions and other partial reductions, but no final action on the full library cut was taken in the portion provided. The committee also paused on some other items to gather more information before voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• environmental review law allows decision makers in the public to make more fully informed decisions that can balance
• informed decisions to make more fully informed decisions that<00:36:58.079><c> can</c><00:36:58.240><c> balance
• c><00:36:58.640><c> and</c><00:36:59.079><c> mitigate</c><00:37:00.079><c> potential</c> that can balance
• and mitigate potential that can balance and mitigate potential long<00:37:00.880><c> range</c><00:37
• , and this might be a question for DBEDT also, but for the Energy Security Special Fund, what the balance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered three measures. SB 1602 would appropriate funds to DLNR for monitoring wells for the Koho aquifer system; DLNR and HHFDC supported it, and written testimony from several organizations and individuals was also in support. Members asked whether monitoring wells are a statewide function rather than a county function, and staff confirmed they are done statewide. The second bill was an administration measure clarifying that criminal water pollution enforcement remains with the Department of Health rather than DLNR. The Attorney General’s office said it was a cleanup clarification and that DOH has stronger enforcement powers and better testing capability; DOH and DLNR supported it, and there was no opposition noted. The final and most heavily debated measure was SB 1074 on environmental impact statements. The bill would let previously authorized or permitted commercial activities continue for up to one year while an agency determines whether environmental review applies after a challenge, and would allow permit renewals during that review. DLNR said it stood on written comments and suggested aligning the bill with similar House language. Supporters, including several ocean tourism and Maui business representatives, argued the bill would provide certainty and keep families and small operators working while environmental review is completed, especially in the wake of the Lahaina fires and ongoing business losses. Some supporters said the measure should be narrowed with a sunset or limited to recently renewed permits. Opponents, including the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, and other environmental advocates, argued the bill was overly broad and could weaken HEPA/NEPA-style environmental review, especially for fisheries and other commercial activities. They said the bill could be used as a “Trojan horse” to avoid review and that DLNR could resolve the underlying disputes more quickly through settlement or existing exemption processes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And now we're depriving people of services potentially in the different plans to balance the budget.
• It is at a zero balance due to changes around the rebate program and other changes at the federal level
• is</c><00:43:39.280><c> at</c><00:43:39.440><c> a</c><00:43:39.599><c> zero</c><00:43:39.960><c> balance
• </c> housing and food um is at a zero balance housing and food um is at a zero balance due<00:43:40.599

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• General</c> Family medicine, $332,413; general internal medicine, $285,000; OB-GYN, $42,000; and the balance
• So we're trying to balance everything and have a full understanding of each of these special riders and
• so<01:04:11.559><c> we're</c><01:04:11.799><c> trying</c><01:04:12.039><c> to</c><01:04:12.319><c> balance
• </c><01:04:12.880><c> everything</c> so we're trying to balance everything so we're trying to balance

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You can do some very extensive screening, so we get into the balance of how much money do you spend.
• You can do some very extensive screening, so we get into the balance of how much money do you spend.
• You can do some very extensive screening, so we get into the balance of how much money do you spend.
• You can do some very extensive screening, so we get into the balance of how much money do you spend.
• on how much money you want to spend, you can do some very extensive screening, so we get into the balance

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, we balance everything. That’s what we do in construction. Good morning. Thank you, Mr.
• dollars to leverage private ones while at the same time showing up with the contingent liability on our balance
• I thank you, and I'm happy to take any questions. liability on our balance sheet there are liability
• on our balance sheet there are many<00:54:10.000><c> examples</c><00:54:10.359><c> of</c><00:54:10.520
• the housing side, we'll help you grow your commercial tax base side, because they do need to be in balance

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 62 strips public agencies and executives from the checks and balances and gives police departments
• SB 62 strips public agencies and executives from the checks and balances and gives police departments
• agencies and Executives from the checks agencies and Executives from the checks and<01:57:37.119><c> balances
• </c><01:57:37.599><c> and</c><01:57:37.760><c> gives</c><01:57:38.000><c> police</c> and balances and
• gives police and balances and gives police departments<01:57:38.719><c> and</c><01:57:38.840><c> Correctional

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s the first and foremost, which is a balance between public safety and rehabilitation while ensuring
• specialty courts, but the department didn't get any additional probation and parole officers, so I balanced
• So I balanced using the state's reallocation process to create more probation and parole officers to
• the committee to help guide and provide information, and that it is important to come with a very balanced
• come<01:53:06.880><c> with</c><01:53:07.000><c> a</c><01:53:07.199><c> very</c><01:53:07.560><c> balanced

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we've already got stacks of purchase orders that are lined up ready to go to start spending down that balance
• So we’re doing the best we can to balance the Oahu base force across the island of Oahu.
• so we're we're doing the best we<02:20:24.880><c> can</c><02:20:25.120><c> to</c><02:20:25.680><c> balance
• the</c><02:20:27.120><c> aahu</c><02:20:27.600><c> base</c><02:20:27.880><c> Force</c> we can to balance
• um the aahu base Force we can to balance um the aahu base Force across<02:20:28.680><c> the</c><02:20

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's really just that balance of trying to make sure that we provide, you know, adequate due process
• So, it's really just that balance<00:56:27.880><c> of</c><00:56:28.000><c> trying</c><00:56:28.240><c
• of trying to make sure that we balance of trying to make sure that we um<00:56:30.080><c> provide,</
• there's got to be some sort of checks there's got to be some sort of checks and<01:20:44.320><c> balances
• There has got to and balances for this. There has got to be. be. be.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this bill and to ensure that these funds that were ill-begotten by the state in order to now have a balance
• that can go towards Now have a balance that can go towards doing good.
• Tyler would be pleased that we're taking the balance of those settlement funds and using it to help other
• 01.400><c> in</c><03:32:01.560><c> here</c><03:32:01.800><c> to</c><03:32:01.920><c> protect</c> balances
• that are in here to protect balances that are in here to protect against<03:32:02.400><c> fraud.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We recognize that uh the 3-minute retention issue is one um that requires a sense of balance. supports
• </c><00:10:06.640><c> Uh</c> That requires a sense of balance.
• this committee needs to do, and what I hope Representative Sherbel present in an amendment, is to balance
• Sherbel present in an amendment<00:18:45.280><c> is</c><00:18:45.520><c> to</c><00:18:45.760><c> balance
• the benefits of amendment is to balance the benefits of expanding<00:18:48.240><c> the</c><00:18:48.480

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You could have lower rates, but greater—it's a balance between affordability and volatility, right?
• You could have lower rates, but greater—it's a balance between affordability and volatility, right?
• There's a balance between affordability and volatility, right?
• There's a balance between affordability and volatility, right?
• that would need to be balances that would need to be reconciled<00:40:07.520><c> and</c><00:40:07.760

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Government has been represented by the executive, and we now have to balance out those two interests.
• of who we are, a statement of what we believe as a state, what we want, what we desire, and how to balance
• Uh, the balance in this account currently I think is nearly 2.9 million. >> 2.9 million. Okay.
• <03:13:28.880><c> statement</c><03:13:29.200><c> or</c><03:13:29.439><c> our</c><03:13:29.600><c> balance
• </c> profit and loss statement or our balance profit and loss statement or our balance sheet<03:13:30.160

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, the other thing this amendment does is it balances to the global target for education finance
• We have the $420 million in savings to balance to the global target, and then the rest goes into our
• 47:27.440><c> is</c><01:47:27.679><c> it</c> this amendment does is it this amendment does is it balances
• to the global target balances to the global target for<01:47:33.840><c> education</c><01:47:34.560><
• We have the $420 million in savings to balance to the global target, and then the rest goes into our

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, you have a balancing of rights, the parents' rights and the children's rights.
• ><c> of</c><02:32:21.680><c> rights,</c><02:32:22.000><c> the</c> you have a balancing of rights, the
• you have a balancing of rights, the parents<02:32:22.560><c> rights</c><02:32:23.040><c> and</c><02:
• Those rights have to be balanced with the parents' rights. are not obligated to tell the parents are
• Those rights have to<02:35:14.240><c> be</c><02:35:14.319><c> balanced</c><02:35:14.800><c> with</c><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 34, which would require parental consent for each new service provided to a student through the Medicaid to Schools program and require reports to legislative policy committees. Senator Ruth Ward said the bill was intended to increase transparency, protect parental involvement, and ensure continuity of care, especially for students with disabilities. She also noted a proposed amendment she received shortly before the hearing that would change the bill’s focus from a “new service” to a “new care plan.” Representatives from the New Hampshire Primary Care Association and Amoscake Health testified that they opposed the bill as written but would support it with the amendment. They explained that tying consent to individual diagnosis codes or services could be burdensome, could delay care, and could create compliance problems if a diagnosis changes during a visit. They said the amendment would better align consent with the overall care plan and avoid interrupting treatment mid-appointment. Committee members raised questions about how the bill would interact with IEPs, individualized health plans, homebound services, telehealth, billing, and whether the amendment would still require parental involvement after a care plan changes. The deputy Medicaid director from the Department of Health and Human Services testified that the amendment was more operationally feasible because Medicaid billing involves many ICD-10 codes that can change or overlap, and consent should be tied to the care plan rather than to each code. He said the current law already requires parental consent for participation in the Medicaid to Schools program and annual consent for billing, but the bill would make explicit consent for care-plan changes. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and the committee appeared to continue discussion with DHHS after the testimony.