Transcript Highlights:

• think in some ways whatever we do is going to be kind of an experiment because we know we had difficulties
• think in some ways whatever we do is going to be kind of an experiment because we know we had difficulties
• think in some ways whatever we do is going to be kind of an experiment because we know we had difficulties
• think in some ways whatever we do is going to be kind of an experiment because we know we had difficulties
• last time and trying to difficulties last time and trying to find<00:38:31.680> folks<00:38:32.400

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also note, if you are having technical difficulties with your video or audio, committee staff will move
• For being here with us, and I'm sorry if you had a little difficulty getting that going, but we appreciate
• I'm sorry you were having difficulty. All right, you can begin your testimony.
• I'm sorry you had some difficulty getting on. Members, are there any questions?
• And I'm sorry you had a little difficulty there in getting the technology working. Out.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• four-mile mileage reimbursement, then they get $4 or whatever it is, and then it eliminates some of the difficulty
• four-mile mileage reimbursement, then they get $4 or whatever it is, and then it eliminates some of the difficulty
• uh and then it eliminates some<00:20:32.880> of<00:20:33.039> the<00:20:33.400> difficulty
• <00:20:33.760> of<00:20:33.960> folks<00:20:34.240> who some of the difficulty
• of folks who some of the difficulty of folks who might<00:20:34.679> be<00:20:35.280> right

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration met with a quorum present and began with member introductions, during which members identified their districts and, informally, their favorite restaurants. The committee then turned to a housekeeping resolution, 2025-P100, covering House policies and administrative procedures. The chair explained that the resolution consolidated routine rules updates prepared by House Research. The committee adopted two amendments to the resolution. The A1 amendment gave members more flexibility in how they receive their postage and digital constituent communications allotment. The A2 amendment corrected titles in the resolution. Staff then reviewed the resolution’s contents, including service awards, donated leave, comp time and time cards, remote work, member business services payments, leadership compensation, expense reimbursement, stationery, postage and digital communications, member communication expenses, alcohol and drug policies, legal fee provisions, photographs and digital images, chaplain pay, the high school page program, and the undergraduate internship program. Members asked several questions during discussion. Representative Long confirmed there were no changes to the legal-fee policy. Representative Hollins asked about the high school page stipend, and staff said it was proposed to increase from $10 to $15 per day. Representative Pursell asked about the 50-mile reimbursement threshold for members’ expenses; the chair said it is derived from IRS tax regulations. She also suggested reviewing how other states handle reimbursement. No members of the public testified. After discussion, the committee renewed the motion and adopted the 2025 resolution as amended. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I understand the difficulty. Um, I do. Senator Maki has pushed. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• I do have<01:12:52.480> difficulty<01:12:52.960> with<01:12:53.520> relatives<01
• :12:54.000> who<01:12:54.239> asked have difficulty with relatives who asked have difficulty
• And I understand<01:13:35.280> the<01:13:35.440> difficulty.
• understand the difficulty. Um I do. understand the difficulty. Um I do.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and prevalent learning disorder that affects millions worldwide, manifesting primarily through difficulties
• Its strong impacts in the classroom are seen by teachers every day through difficulties learning to read
• in Reading spelling and difficulties in Reading spelling and writing<00:04:01.400> it's<00:04
• <00:04:47.520> learning<00:04:47.880> to<00:04:48.160> read through difficulties
• learning to read through difficulties learning to read processing<00:04:50.120> instructions<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• you could use the chat function, uh, to chat with the technical staff if there's any technical difficulties
• technical staff if there's any with the technical staff if there's any technical<00:07:47.840> difficulties
• <00:07:48.440> you<00:07:48.560> are technical difficulties you are technical difficulties
• So you mentioned the difficulty, or the inability, to administer this law.
• uh so you mentioned right the difficulty uh so you mentioned right the difficulty or<00:46:30.960

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And like the event, we must abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties.
• <00:51:51.839> The due to technical difficulties. The due to technical difficulties.
• Second, there would be enforcement difficulties.
• would be enforcement difficulties. would be enforcement difficulties.
• organizations are having difficulty organizations are having difficulty getting<01:25:47.840>

Bills: SB3275, SB3105

Keywords: cannabis, low-dose, personal use, cultivation, cannabis accessories, Hawaii cannabis law, medical cannabis, physician assistant, licensure compact, medical services, interstate practice, healthcare portability, military families, licensing authority, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection reconsidered two condominium bills and adopted recommendations to pass both with amendments. For SB 2433, members approved amendments clarifying that condominium unit owners’ interests are to be recognized and protected in educational and related programs by the Real Estate Commission and DCCA, while making technical changes and changing the effective date. For SB 2838, the committee replaced the bill’s broader substantive language with a narrower requirement that associations provide electronic copies of specified documents, including master leases, reserve studies, audited financial statements, contracts, leases, and other agreements, along with technical changes and an amended effective date. Both measures were adopted unanimously by the members present, with Senator McKelvey excused. The committee then heard SB 2710 on animal issues, which would define and regulate dog breeders, set care standards, create county licensing authority, require records, and establish an animal abuser registry and related penalties. Testimony was mixed: the Public Defender and the American Kennel Club opposed the bill, arguing for stronger enforcement of existing laws rather than harsher penalties and warning that the bill would burden responsible breeders; the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill’s breeder regulation and registry provisions but urged removal of the hoarding section; and the committee noted 26 written testimonies in support, 14 in opposition, and four comments. In decision-making, the committee passed SB 2710 with amendments that blanked the license fee, deleted the animal abuser registry and shelter/pet store/breeder compliance checks, struck the hoarding provisions and proposed criminal penalty changes, and made technical changes with a deferred effective date. The committee also heard SB 2209 on rental discrimination, which would allow attorney’s fees to a prevailing party in source-of-income discrimination cases, and SB 2884, which would create a nonrefundable income tax credit for wind-resistant retrofits or hurricane shelters. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission supported SB 2209, and the committee later passed it with a deferred effective date. SB 2884 drew support from DCCA’s Insurance Division, the Department of Taxation, HEMA, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and a public witness who urged hurricane preparedness; it was passed with the Department of Taxation’s proposed amendments and a deferred effective date. Finally, the committee heard SB 2922 on cooperative associations, which would create a general cooperative associations framework. DCCA offered comments, while the Hawaii Co-op Hui, Purple Maya Foundation, Enliven Cooperative, and Hawaii Farmers Union supported the measure and argued that current law is too limited for worker, producer, and multi-stakeholder co-ops. After discussion about using the existing chapter 421C structure rather than creating a new regulatory scheme, the committee passed SB 2922 with amendments adopting changes proposed in testimony from the Hawaii Farmers Union and deferred the effective date.

Transcript Highlights:

• Later, Nancy faced job loss and financial difficulty.
• She requested a temporary difficulty.
• So there's been very little difficulty in getting patients to see specialists.
• <00:17:42.400> folks the the various um, difficulties folks the the various um, difficulties
• <00:18:21.120> in There has been no difficulty in There has been no difficulty in referring

Bills: HF2400, HF1724, HF3437, HF4333, HF2874, HF4052

Keywords: real estate, appraisers, disciplinary actions, sanction matrix, Minnesota Statutes, direct primary care, healthcare agreements, medical services, patient care, health insurance, mortgage fees, residential loans, commercial loans, finance regulations, investment properties, insurance, supplemental health insurance, short-term care, home health care, nursing care

Transcript Highlights:

• Any questions or difficulties in finding that in our spreadsheet?
• Any questions or difficulties in finding that in our spreadsheet?
• Any questions or difficulties in finding that in our spreadsheet?
• <00:22:23.360> in you um any questions or difficulties in you um any questions or difficulties
• But the um um I mentioned the difficulty difficulty difficulty um<01:29:46.280> with<01:29:47.280

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> [laughter] >> Of course, we have technical difficulties.
• He has some strong difficulties.
• ...difficulty in keeping up with that.
• Um, the difficulty, especially in the rural areas, is the lack of available transportation services.
• Additionally, there's difficulties in braiding funding, and getting full participation in any kind of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is being streamed live on YouTube, and if we need to abruptly end the feed because of technical difficulties
• categories of property casualty residents and, say, condo owners, for example, who were having difficulty
• 00:08:45.839> who<00:08:46.160> were<00:08:46.399> having<00:08:46.640> difficulty
• <00:08:47.360> in example who were having difficulty in example who were having difficulty
• in uh getting who are having difficulty in uh getting their<00:18:12.720> funds<00:18:13.280>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up a short-form administrative licensing measure requested by the administration to correct and clarify renewal provisions in a prior bill. Members raised no questions, and the committee voted to adopt the proposed Senate draft and recommit the bill back to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee for a further public hearing. The committee then heard SB 2876 on natural hair braiding, which would exempt natural hair braiders from licensing under certain conditions. The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology said it views hair braiding as within the broader scope of cosmetology, but agreed that people who only braid hair should not need a license because the training and exam requirements are minimal. The board warned, however, that exempting braiders could create consumer protection gaps involving sanitation, training, and enforcement, and noted that related services such as waxing, cutting, coloring, shampooing, and relaxing would still require licensure. Supporters included the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and the Institute for Justice. The committee also heard SB 2950 on captive insurance and SB 2951 on insurance proceeds. On SB 2950, the Insurance Division opposed the bill, saying captive insurance is designed for formal self-insurance for companies and that allowing captives to insure the public would not fit the existing regulatory framework; a fire survivor advocate supported the measure as a way to expand disaster-related insurance options. On SB 2951, which would require mortgage servicers to follow certain rules for disbursing insurance proceeds after residential damage or destruction, United Policy Holders strongly supported the bill, citing delays in releasing funds and the need to help survivors rebuild, while banking and financial industry groups submitted opposition or comments. Finally, the committee heard SB 2952, SB 2960, and SB 2964, all related to property insurance and disaster recovery. SB 2952 and SB 2960 would extend the time policyholders have after a declared disaster to submit documentation and recover replacement cost value, with supporters arguing that rebuilding after major disasters takes far longer than standard policy deadlines allow and that the bills would improve consumer protection and transparency; the Insurance Division, the Insurance Council, and national insurance groups opposed the measures. SB 2964 would require annual disclosures of replacement cost value and coverage sufficiency; the Insurance Council opposed it as costly and unnecessary because policies already include inflation-related adjustments, while United Policy Holders and fire survivors supported it, saying many homeowners are underinsured and do not understand their coverage.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had bills like this before, and I think many senators have had, and I think it points to the difficulties
• I've had bills like this before, and I think many senators have had, and I think it points to the difficulties
• had and and I think it points<00:52:21.839> to<00:52:22.000> the<00:52:22.240> difficulties
• <00:52:22.720> that<00:52:22.960> our points to the difficulties that our points to
• the difficulties that our small<00:52:23.520> cities<00:52:23.920> have<00:52:24.160><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• review that talks about the cost burdens of rare diseases due to their medical complexities and the difficulties
• and<00:04:14.760> the medical complexities and the medical complexities and the difficulties
• <00:04:15.480> providing<00:04:15.959> coordinated difficulties providing coordinated difficulties

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 1501, which would fund the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council and make the current fiscal year 2025 budget its permanent base. Representative Murphy said the bill would provide about $342,000 in general fund money for the 2026-27 cycle and argued that the council helps shorten diagnosis times, support research, and keep Minnesota a leader in rare disease work. Erica Barnes, the council’s executive director, testified in support and explained that the council was established in 2022 to improve care for the estimated one in 10 Minnesotans living with a rare disease. She said the council needs the full $668,000 level it operated with this year to maintain its statutory duties, noting that the current ongoing base is about $326,000 and that the extra funding was previously one-time money. Barnes described the barriers faced by rare disease patients, including long diagnostic delays, limited provider knowledge, and the fact that only a small share of rare diseases have FDA-approved treatments. She said rare disease care is costly to the health system and that the council has used prior funding to convene the community more regularly and carry out its work. Representative Leing questioned why the budget should be doubled and asked what additional work the council would do with the higher amount; Barnes responded that without the larger ongoing appropriation the council would fall back to 1.8 FTE and would have to stop some programs. Representative Hingson Jger spoke in support, saying the council’s collaboration has been valuable for policy work in the genetic and rare disease space. In closing, Murphy emphasized Minnesota’s leadership in rare disease and shared a personal story about how diagnosis and treatment changed his family’s life. No public testimony was offered. The chair then laid House File 1501 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• the New Hampshire Department of Education are numbers I've used in my testimony and also simple mathematics
• 01:17:33.040> and<01:17:33.280> also<01:17:33.679> simple<01:17:34.000> mathematics
• my testimony and also simple mathematics my testimony and also simple mathematics will<01:17:35.040

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• behind these microphones and say maybe we should all work together or actually do something that's mathematically
• together or actually do<06:31:09.360> something<06:31:09.600> that's<06:31:09.920> mathematically
• do something that's mathematically do something that's mathematically honest<06:31:11.520> or

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 26, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that is recognized for providing a world-class education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
• :28.240> and science, technology, engineering, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
• Our<05:59:30.638> career<05:59:31.040> and<05:59:31.680> technical mathematics
• Our career and technical mathematics.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you especially for your grace and your patience with our technical difficulties.
• Who is a former Geek Squad employee fixed the technical difficulties that we were having, and thank you
• Can you hear me with all this technical difficulty? Yes, we can. Thanks so much. Okay, good.
• bringing in the ideas and suggestions of people in the industry and parents who are living these difficulties
• Additional barriers faced include limited free time, difficulty completing paperwork, lack of access

Bills: HF1367, HF2732, HF1897, HF1424, HF1383, HF2728, HF2863, HF1685, HF2929

Keywords: child maltreatment, child abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking, child protection, local welfare agency, county social services, Minnesota Department of Human Services, judicial review, district court appeal, venue, out-of-state abuse, cross-border investigation, Minnesota child welfare, family assessment, maltreatment determination

Transcript Highlights:

• We will face difficulties in this field.
• We will face difficulties in<00:32:17.760> locating<00:32:18.159> all<00:32:18.480>
• That's going to be one of the difficulties we have moving forward is actually locating those.
• It can require some difficulty with upgrading home electric boxes.
• <01:04:36.240> upgrading require some difficulty with upgrading require some difficulty with upgrading

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• [laughter] I did have some difficulty finding my way here.
• I did have some difficulty finding my I did have some difficulty finding my way<00:20:44.559> here
• a plan, which I understand can be difficult to get in place, and that was one of East Conway’s difficulties
• a plan, which I understand can be difficult to get in place, and that was one of East Conway’s difficulties
• is complying with the plan difficulties is complying with the plan but<00:29:44.640> they<00:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on House Bill 396, which would exempt meat and meat food products slaughtered and prepared in-state for in-state sale from certain inspections. Representative Comtois explained her amendment, saying she tried to address prior concerns by limiting the number processed monthly, adding a registration and disclaimer requirement, and folding beef, swine, sheep, and goats into the bill’s framework. Members discussed whether some sections from earlier language on bison, elk, and red deer had been inadvertently struck, and Comtois said she did not intend to remove those protections and would restore them if needed. Several members raised drafting and policy concerns. Representative Miner suggested the waiver language should be a signed, notarized statement kept on file rather than filed with the Department of Agriculture, and Comtois agreed. Representative Gruber and Representative Scully discussed labeling and wording, including clarifying that the meat would not be “exempt” from federal inspection in the same way as non-amenable species, and adding language that any prosecution would be federal rather than state. There was also discussion about whether ground meat should be included for the amenable species, with Miner and Comtois indicating that excluding ground meat would reduce risk. Commissioner Sean Jasper of the Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food testified strongly against the bill, saying it was a step in the wrong direction, lacked consumer protections, and could jeopardize food safety and the state’s meat processing system. He argued that the federal exemption for non-amenable species could not simply be extended to new species by state law, warned that USDA could respond by withdrawing federal inspections, and said the bill would not solve the real bottlenecks in slaughter capacity. He also said he did not believe there was a general shortage of inspectors, and that the practical issue was producers not scheduling animals year-round, which forces facilities to scale to the slow season. No vote was taken during the work session, and members continued discussing possible amendments and wording changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• .<00:03:27.920> The<00:03:28.080> committee<00:03:28.319> will difficulties.
• The committee will difficulties.
• Um, you have two minutes starting now. >> Sorry, technical difficulties. Hi. Aloha.
• >> Sorry, technical difficulties. >> Sorry, technical difficulties.
• <00:53:42.800> interpreting there was some difficulty interpreting there was some difficulty

Bills: SB2094

Keywords: toxic chemicals, environmental action levels, public notice, environmental safety, pollution control, Hawaii State Constitution, public participation, government transparency, environmental health, 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 2094, which would require state agencies monitoring environmental toxins and pollutants to establish environmental action levels and limit changes to those levels without meeting procedural requirements. The chair recommended passing the bill with amendments, including inserting estimated costs for a secure portal website and webinars into the committee report and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. The motion passed unanimously among those voting, with excused members noted. The committee then considered several other measures and adopted recommendations to pass them with amendments, generally adding technical and clarifying changes and setting a defective date of 2525. SB 2862 was amended to broaden the preamble, make additional appointees confirmable, clarify reporting requirements for gubernatorial appointees, and was held for further discussion. SB 2781 on lei production created a working group to review existing studies and conduct a statewide study of Hawaii’s floriculture industry. SB 3015 adopted California’s definition of PII, applied it to government agencies and political subdivisions, created a private cause of action, and required a compliance report. SB 3230 removed a categorical prohibition on certain third-party project management procurements while preserving state oversight responsibility, in line with procurement office requests. The joint GVO Health and Human Services agenda then focused on two related bills requiring universal changing accommodations in public restrooms. SB 2932 would apply to new state building construction beginning July 1, 2026, and testimony from disability advocates, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others supported the measure while asking for language clarifying that the requirement applies only where technically feasible and, in some cases, only to state-managed buildings. SB 2268 was described as broader, extending beyond government buildings into the private sector and including a private right of action; witnesses supported the concept but raised implementation concerns, especially for smaller businesses, and requested the same technically infeasible language and other clarifications. Both bills were advanced with amendments, and the committee noted adoption of the recommendations.