Transcript Highlights:

• appointees on the commission and come up with a report and a work product that will be helpful in developing
• I am Deco Gibral, Director of Small Business Development at the Executive Office of Economic Development
• So I think staff is still developing kind of the topics of each of the hearings and trying to group everything
• The other thing is, as we start to develop a report, staff is going to be working diligently to try and

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that the commission’s charge includes reviewing payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now/pay later financing, the costs to small businesses of accepting different forms of payment, and the impact of Section 28A of Chapter 140D. No testimony was taken at this first meeting; it was intended to introduce commission members, outline the process, and begin planning future hearings and a final report with recommendations or options for the Legislature. Members discussed possible hearing topics, including business and consumer impacts of credit card fees, surcharges, and gratuities; the legal and regulatory landscape; and policy considerations such as transparency, reporting requirements, and possible limits on fees. Several members supported the commission’s scope and noted the issue’s timeliness, citing the growth of cashless transactions and the burden of swipe fees on retailers and restaurants. One member suggested the commission also consider cryptocurrency in transactions, and another raised the possibility of holding hearings outside the State House to improve access for small businesses around the state. The chairs said the first public hearing is tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium, with additional hearings to be scheduled depending on interest and sign-ups. They said testimony may be offered in person, online, or in writing, and that written testimony will be part of the record. The commission also encouraged members and interested parties to suggest experts, topics, and report formats as the study develops. The meeting ended with a motion to close and an affirmative vote to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also an economic development component to that.
• are able to increase services outside of their borders, that creates job opportunities, that can develop
• There's also an economic development component to that.
• And if any of these hospitals across state are able to, development component to that.
• are able to increase services outside of their borders, that creates job opportunities, that can develop

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Maggie McGary, Economic Development and Transportation and Culture and the Arts.
• Uh, we have a workforce development council member, uh, Karia Sher, please stand to be recognized. gallery
• Uh we have<00:08:48.800><c> a</c><00:08:49.040><c> workforce</c><00:08:49.440><c> development</c><00:
• 08:49.920><c> council</c> have a workforce development council have a workforce development council member

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, Senate Bill 1574 relates to a Centers of Excellence program developed by the
• Madam Chair, as we develop this Centers of Excellence program, the initial proposal was that judges be
• By including the new definitions of water, I know that sounds funny to people, but every day we develop
• Meanwhile, development is underway in Texas, of course, for a fully integrated stock. exchange, an initiative
• Now, because we're developing and putting in place this kind of certainty, you're seeing investment now

Bills: SB1211 , SB1574 , SB2774 , SB2873 , SB2900 , HJR4

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: hydraulic fracturing, sales tax exemption, oil and gas, environmental impact, water reuse, justice, judicial council, centers of excellence, court operations, recognition program, franchise tax, retail trade, tax classification, business regulation, economic impact, SB 2873, Texas Tax Code, electronic filing, e-filing, tax reports

Transcript Highlights:

• , ...and confidential information in order to qualify for market development payments.
• respectfully request your aye vote on SB 165. ...to provide the administration additional time to develop
• It will extend these existing legal protections to priority care developments, including housing tied
• The Education Commissioner shall develop findings and recommendations for a second phase of education
• We will need to define the superintendent's new duties and develop a comprehensive transition plan for

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a largely procedural session with several unanimous-consent motions, guest introductions, and budget-related trailer bills. Members also adopted resolutions recognizing June as Dairy Month and June 2026 as Electronic Dance Music Month, and later approved H.R. 88 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Guest introductions highlighted the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Kappa League, Assembly staff member Mukhtar Ali, and Jennifer Levy, who is advocating against drunk driving after the death of her son. On the floor, the Assembly considered a series of Senate budget trailer bills presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 170 reorganizes housing and homelessness agencies; SB 171 makes labor-related cleanup changes; SB 172 addresses general government, broadband, and NextGen 9-1-1; SB 174 extends remote court hearings and related court provisions; SB 177 advances options related to Medi-Cal and employer contributions; SB 180 extends the California Competes tax credit and conforms tax treatment for certain savings accounts; SB 169 covers transportation and DMV-related provisions; SB 168 creates a zero-emission vehicle incentive program and other clean-energy changes; SB 166 implements natural resources and environmental protection budget items; SB 165 extends the skilled nursing facility financing framework; SB 163 updates developmental services; and SB 135 funds higher education initiatives, including community college enrollment and Cal Grant changes. Most of these measures passed with bipartisan support, though several drew opposition over concerns about bureaucracy, fees, oversight, or policy direction. The Assembly also passed SB 719, which updates vehicle-related protections for domestic violence survivors, SB 97, an urgency bill making clarifying changes to digital financial asset law, SB 1350, which supports hydrogen and clean energy development, and SB 1344, which aims to reduce meritless lawsuits delaying affordable and supportive housing projects. AB 182, which sets the order for proposition numbers on the November ballot, was approved despite criticism that it manipulates the ballot numbering process. Votes on the measures were recorded, with many passing on strong margins and several transmitted immediately to the Senate or Governor as noted in the proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Development point. Mr.
• Development point. ...items, and also we just want to make sure we have the funds there.
• Development point.
• Scott Smith: Those 558 developments totaled nearly $20 billion in investment. A hundred...
• I mean, it's a developed question.

Summary: The committee heard several transportation-related appropriation and policy bills. SB 1273 would appropriate $14 million in FY2027 for pavement rehabilitation of Olga Frontage Road between Bowie and San Simon; after brief discussion about the road’s length and whether it was on a rural transportation priority list, the bill was reported out 3-2 with a do pass recommendation. SB 1452 would create a cargo theft task force in the Attorney General’s office, modeled on the retail theft task force, with reporting and investigative duties; Tony Bradley of the Arizona Trucking Association testified in support, describing cargo theft as a growing, sophisticated problem and noting the funding would come from the consumer fraud protection fund rather than the general fund. The committee adopted an amendment making the task force subject to appropriations and then passed the bill 5-0. The committee also considered SB 1332, which would require the Auditor General and an independent transportation research entity to study Maricopa County light rail expansion and compare it with other transit technologies. Senator Kavanaugh argued the study was needed before committing billions more to light rail and said the governor’s office was open to the concept. Supporters, including local business owners, said the study would provide needed transparency and reflect concerns about business impacts and changing transportation options. Opponents, including Valley Metro, the City of Phoenix, and transit advocates, argued the state should not second-guess locally approved transit plans and pointed to existing studies, ridership, and economic development along light rail corridors. The bill passed 4-3. SB 1059 appropriates $9.2 million for an additional right-turn lane at State Route 87 and State Route 260, and Senator Wendy Rogers used the hearing to describe several rural road projects she and Representative Blackman were pursuing, emphasizing safety, congestion, and local requests from mayors and councils. Members broadly supported the need for rural infrastructure, and the bill was reported out unanimously. The committee then took up SB 1209, which would exempt homeless individuals and others without a residence address from non-operating ID fees if they prove U.S. citizenship. Testimony from the Homeless ID Project and ADOT focused on how IDs help people obtain work and services, how citizenship and authorized presence are verified, and whether the amendment would create operational or fiscal issues; the discussion continued as the transcript ended, with no final vote shown for that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 577, Representative Branskum, an act relating to economic development.
• Task Force by establishing the Aviation Economic Development Task Force and House Joint Resolution 50
• </c><00:07:29.759><c> House</c> to economic development. House to economic development.
• </c><00:07:39.360><c> Task</c> and Aviation Economic Development Task and Aviation Economic Development
• Task Force and Economic Development Task Force and House<00:07:45.360><c> Joint</c><00:07:45.680><c>

Keywords: Convene 00:00:00 Senate Message 00:05:32 Calendar/2nd Readings 00:06:28 Orders of the Day 00:08:06 HB 459 00:08:16 HB 293 00:10:44 HB 379 00:20:16 HB 526 00:24:16 HB 264 00:39:32 HB 448 00:43:37 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 00:46:17 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 00:57:26 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 00:58:27 ConC/Rules Report 01:01:42 Floor Amendments 01:03:00 Adjournment 01:03:24, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some schools are using this for hospitals, industrial parks, housing development. Sell the land.
• Madam Whip, Representative Fink, we had that discussion in committee, and I think that the developers
• We will move on to rural economic development 216, page 143.
• We will move on to rural economic development 216, page 143.
• We will move on to rural economic development 216, page 143.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long series of bills, mostly in health, education, commerce, federalism, and government. In health, members discussed radiology technology updates (HB 2050), a tribal Medicaid waiver/drawdown measure with no state cost (HB 2177), an emergency medicine study committee (HB 2183), fetal death certificate and remains-transfer requirements (HB 2184), a physician assistant licensure compact (HB 2190), dementia care telemonitoring funding (HB 2202), SNAP error-rate reduction and fraud/eligibility oversight bills (HB 2206, HB 2442, HB 2797), child welfare protections like credit freezes and recorded interviews (HB 2321, HB 2322), and podiatric licensure compacts (HB 2438). Several of these were described as consent-calendar items, while HB 2206 and the SNAP-related measures drew discussion about fraud reduction, administrative burden, and work requirements. In commerce and finance, the committee heard bills on mobile food vendors and local permits (HB 2118), earned wage access services with fee caps and disclosure rules (HB 2309), CPA licensure changes (HB 2476), cash acceptance for retail purchases under $100 (HB 2555), drone delivery and unmanned aircraft guardrails (HB 2875), timeshare salesperson licensing (HB 2877), and a prohibition on state-mandated social credit scoring in lending decisions (HB 2903). The tax and retirement-related items included 529 plan conformity and Roth IRA transfer rules (HB 2477), annual tax conformity to the Internal Revenue Code (HB 2785), ASRS technical and disability-related changes (HB 2089, HB 2090, HB 2092), and a bill on employee health insurance definitions (HB 2089). The Arizona Commerce Authority bill (HB 2754) would add legislative members to the board and shift more control over trade offices and Arizona Competes Fund spending to the legislature. The education section focused heavily on school governance and finance. Bills included patriotic youth group presentations in schools (HB 2312), school board term limits (HB 2318), mandatory training for governing board members (HB 2379), independent municipal advisors for bond elections (HB 2320), restrictions on districts buying operating charter/private school sites to game enrollment formulas (HB 2376), conflict-of-interest limits for school facilities board architects and engineers (HB 2378), public meeting and travel transparency rules for districts (HB 2380), limits on long-term school property leases and reporting requirements (HB 2384), tighter bidding rules for school construction job orders using Building Renewal Grant funds (HB 2482), and a voluntary computer science proficiency seal (HB 2764). Sponsors repeatedly framed these as transparency, accountability, and anti-abuse measures, while some opposition centered on local flexibility, housing use, and existing training providers. In federalism and government, the committee heard bills to give counties more time to mail sample ballots (HB 2006), require courts to identify veterans at first appearance for possible veterans court referral (HB 2226), study veterans’ awareness of benefits (HB 2406), broaden military leave protections (HB 2663), require SAVE verification for voter registration and certain state services (HB 2806), require U.S.-sourced voting machine components by 2029 (HB 2901), affirm the Electoral College (HB 2902), and establish due process protections for justice of the peace courts against outside administrative action (HB 2976). Government committee items included a later deadline for library trustees’ annual reports (HB 2129), a two-year limit on certain adult protective services reports to the Attorney General (HB 2228), and an exemption for public and semi-public cold plunges from ADEQ spa rules (HB 2439). Several bills were reported as consent-calendar items, and a number of sponsors noted committee votes, fiscal neutrality, or favorable testimony in support of the measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• To lease or approve the lease of school property to any person for a housing development project only
• Some schools are using this for hospitals, industrial parks, housing development—sell the land, sell
• This 99-year lease concept could help developers find lucrative property that is shielded from other
• since the public schools are the government, the public school is now leasing land to housing developments
• Madam Whip, Representative Fink, we had that discussion in committee, and I think that the developers

Summary: The meeting covered a long series of House bills across health, commerce, education, elections, government, and veterans issues, with many measures described as consent-calendar items. In health and human services, members discussed updates to radiology technology standards, a tribal Medicaid waiver bill, an emergency medicine study committee, fetal death certificate and remains-transfer requirements, a physician assistant licensure compact, dementia care telemonitoring funding, and SNAP error-rate reduction and eligibility oversight. Sponsors generally framed these bills as technical updates, workforce or access improvements, cost savings, or support for families and vulnerable populations, while some bills drew brief questions about implementation or opposition. In commerce and finance, the committee heard bills on mobile food vendor licensing, earned wage access services, CPA certification, cash acceptance by retail businesses, unmanned aircraft regulation, timeshare salesperson licensing, social credit score restrictions for lending, and a ban on state assistance to the International Criminal Court. Sponsors emphasized reduced regulation, consumer protections, transparency, and state sovereignty. The committee also considered tax and retirement-related measures, including conformity with the Internal Revenue Code, ASRS technical changes, and a 529 plan update that also addressed Roth IRA rollovers. Education and school governance bills focused heavily on school district oversight and transparency. Members discussed patriotic youth group presentations in schools, school board term limits and mandatory training, bond-advisor requirements, restrictions on school districts buying operating charter or private schools to affect funding formulas, conflicts of interest on the School Facilities Oversight Board, public meeting and travel disclosure rules, limits on long-term school property leases, job-order contracting caps, and a computer science proficiency seal. Sponsors repeatedly argued these bills would improve accountability, prevent misuse of public funds, and increase public access to school board decisions. The meeting also included elections, veterans, government, and other administrative measures. These included changes to sample-ballot mailing deadlines, a requirement that courts ask about veteran status at first appearance, a veterans awareness study, broader military leave protections, SAVE database verification for voter registration and licensing, U.S.-sourced election equipment requirements, Electoral College affirmation, justice court due-process protections, library trustee reporting deadlines, adult protective services reporting cleanup, and procurement transparency. No final floor votes were taken in the excerpt, and most items were presented for questions or moved through consent with brief sponsor explanations and occasional opposition noted in committee testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• We passed an economic development bill last year.
• We passed an economic development<00:04:10.480><c> bill</c><00:04:10.720><c> last</c><00:04:11.040><c
• </c><00:04:11.840><c> They</c><00:04:12.080><c> had</c><00:04:12.239><c> the</c> development bill last
• They had the development bill last year.
• </c><00:15:49.680><c> over</c> Over the decades, we have developed over Over the decades, we have developed

Bills: HB61 , HB176 , SB12

Committee: House Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I developed this mantra and went to my client, the University of Michigan.
• This is really the generic claims management roadmap that we developed.
• They were asked with this committee that we developed, the CCRC Clinical Care Review Committee.
• In two years with her baby, Maria developed along as she could, but with profound problems.
• Develop what's called PSIs, and really encouraged each individual hospital and hospital group to develop

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• They tend to, one, have the time to develop that much tenure in their house.
• It might be a library or something that they're doing for development. Okay.
• So it's really more of an economic development program.
• So it's really more of an economic development program.
• “So there's the bigger READY program, which is more economic development.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for an educational session focused on how Florida funds public schools and how property taxes are assessed and levied. Dr. Jim Zengali of the Department of Revenue explained the FEFP school funding formula, noting that it is built on weighted student counts, a base student allocation, and programmatic add-ons such as transportation, exceptional student education, school safety, and mental health. He said school funding is roughly split between state general revenue and local property taxes through required local effort, with additional discretionary and capital outlay millages contributing to total school funding. He also described the Department of Revenue’s role in certifying property rolls at fair market value and reviewing them for substantial compliance, including the so-called “nuclear option” if a roll is not approved. Members asked about trends in millage rates, county-by-county funding differences, the effect of growth and enrollment changes, and how property appraisals are reviewed. Zengali said aggregate millage for school funding has declined over the last decade while revenues have still increased, and he agreed to provide additional data on county trends, parcel strata, student growth, and enrollment impacts. He also clarified that school funding is equalized so students receive similar resources regardless of county wealth, and that federal funding plays only a small role in the FEFP. Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research then discussed existing homestead benefits. She said about half of Florida’s parcels are homestead properties, most fall in the $250,000 to $500,000 value range, and many seniors without mortgages pay property taxes in lump sums rather than through escrow. Baker explained that Florida’s homestead tax burden is middle-of-the-pack nationally and that the main benefits are Save Our Homes and portability on the differential side, plus the $25,000 homestead exemption and related exemptions on the exemption side. She said these benefits reduce taxable value substantially, with homestead properties receiving a large share of the reductions, and noted that the committee requested follow-up data on exemption usage, portability timing, senior exemptions, and county-level patterns. The final presentation, by Lizette Kelly of the Department of Revenue, covered millage rates and the TRIM process. She reviewed the history of truth-in-millage notices, required taxpayer mailings, public hearing notices, and later changes that tied local millage resets to rollback and majority-vote rates. Kelly explained the difference between proposed and adopted millage, the rollback rate, and the majority-vote rate, and described how taxing authorities include counties, cities, special districts, and MSTUs. She also outlined how county taxable value is calculated from just value through assessment differentials and exemptions, and how certain exemptions, such as the additional senior exemption, apply only to the taxing authority that adopted them. No votes were taken during the meeting, but members requested several follow-up data reports for later discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, a developer will submit a plan with the California Energy Commission to review and determine
• Developer subsidies.
• Instead, you're lining the pockets of developers for their profits.
• We worked throughout the year to develop this strong reauthorization program.
• Assembly Bill 940 by Assembly Member Wicks and relating to economic development.

Summary: The chamber reconvened after a late-night session and first adopted the consent calendar, including ACR 107 on the Diablo Range, by a 48-0 vote. Members then took up several Senate bills and Assembly measures, with repeated remarks about the long hours and the need to respect staff and keep proceedings moving. A vote change was also announced for Assembly Member Patel on SB 414, changing from aye to not voting. The main policy debate centered on energy, climate, and affordability. SB 237, dealing with oil and gas policy, refinery closures, pipeline safety, Kern County permitting, gasoline blend flexibility, and regional fuel coordination, drew strong support from members who framed it as a managed transition to stabilize fuel supply and protect jobs, and strong opposition from members who called it a giveaway to oil interests and a setback for climate goals. The bill passed 59-0. SB 254, an energy affordability and wildfire package, included wildfire mitigation financing, a successor wildfire fund, transmission cost reductions, clean energy permitting changes, and energization timelines; members raised some concerns about local control, but the bill passed 58-0. SB 840 and AB 1207 advanced the cap-and-invest reauthorization package, with supporters emphasizing emissions reductions, housing, transit, wildfire prevention, and community air programs, while opponents argued it would raise costs and function as a tax-and-spend scheme. SB 840 passed 54-15 and AB 1207 passed 55-10, both with urgency and immediate transmittal. Members also approved SB 352, which makes the Bureau of Environmental Justice permanent and requires air quality monitoring and reporting on AB 617 implementation, by 43-19. AB 825, authorizing California to help establish a Westwide electricity market, was presented as a way to lower bills, improve reliability, and reduce emissions; it passed 67-2 and was sent to the Governor. Additional actions included concurrence in Senate amendments to AB 8 on cannabinoids and AB 383 on firearms cleanup, and the chamber began consideration of AB 764 on wildlife as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Florida </font> <font color="aaaaaa">Department of Education to </font> <font color="aaaaaa">develop
• distribute </font> <font color="aaaaaa">training modules for school </font> <font color="aaaaaa">develop
• </font> <font color="aaaaaa">requires the development and </font> <font color="aaaaaa">ago.
• </font> <font color="aaaaaa">requires the development and </font> <font color="aaaaaa">implementation
• ">Florida based aerospace </font> <font color="aaaaaa">develop partnerships between </font> <font color

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's turn to rural development.
• I sometimes think that people forget that the rural development side Of the USDA is really important;
• So let's dive in on a couple of issues—two big rural development issues: housing and child care.
• SNAP is a rural development tool.
• The rural development organization in Vermont has helped us through the floods of July 23 and July 24

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The 30-year is Rural Development Association money that comes through a rural development utility program
• The 30-year funding is Rural Development Association money that comes through a rural development utility
• comes a rural development uh utility comes a rural development uh utility program<00:46:33.240><c> that
• I'd be happy to develop that for you.
• </c> we have a professional um development we have a professional um development manager<02:16:19.079

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee held a hearing on several bills and announced at the outset that no votes would be taken because the measures would go to divisions later. The first major bill, HB 197, would require the state to pay 7.5% of political subdivision employer pension contributions for teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Representative Mike Edgar, the prime sponsor, argued the state had repeatedly reduced and then eliminated its promised share of retirement costs, shifting the burden to municipalities and property taxpayers. He said the bill would partially restore that commitment and provide relief to local governments, businesses, and taxpayers. Several witnesses testified in support of HB 197, including Representative John Cluder, Bradford selectman Marlene Fryer, the New Hampshire Municipal Association’s Margaret Burns, and Epping representative Mark Fone. Supporters said the bill would help with property tax pressure, school budgets, and municipal hiring, and they emphasized that much of the retirement cost reflects unfunded liability decisions made at the state level rather than by local governments. Committee members questioned whether the bill would change local incentives to control costs and how it would affect hiring and compensation. Burns said the state contribution would function as property tax relief because it offsets existing municipal expenses, and she noted the state is already on a long-term schedule to pay down the retirement system’s unfunded liability. After closing the hearing on HB 197, the committee opened a hearing on HB 97, introduced by Representative Tom Buco. He said the bill would continue funding for delayed and deferred wastewater projects and help municipalities finance expensive wastewater infrastructure, which he tied to housing development and local debt planning. No action or votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> secondary ed and workforce development. secondary ed and workforce development.
• ,</c> information on economic development, information on economic development, public<00:31:21.520><
• > increase</c> economic development, we increase economic development, we increase federal<00:31:46.240
• development, public health. development, public health.
• ,</c> act relating to workforce development, act relating to workforce development, making<02:41:56.479

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into committee and floor reports. Several measures received favorable committee reports and were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar, including Current Resolution 9, Senate Joint Resolution 23, House Bill 145, House Bill 567, and House Bill 506 with House Committee Substitute 1. The chamber also noted that House Bills 500 and 504 had already received two readings and were sent to the Rules Committee before House Bill 500 was brought up for final consideration. Most of the discussion focused on House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill. Members described it as a “good first draft” and emphasized a budget process they said was more transparent than in prior years. The bill was presented as a restrained two-year operating budget with spending growth kept at a little under 2% annually, while setting aside about 2% of projected revenues, or roughly $614 million, in the Budget Reserve Trust Fund for future needs. The budget also used base reductions in some areas while exempting others such as Medicaid benefits, SEEK, corrections, behavioral health, and veterans programs. Subcommittee chairs then outlined major spending areas. Education provisions included a 2% annual increase in base SEEK funding, transportation funding held flat, equalization for recallable nickel funding, continued retirement contributions, and major support for postsecondary access, dual credit, asset preservation, and workforce training. Health and family services provisions held Medicaid steady while adding waiver slots, behavioral health and substance use support, public health investments, and funding for rural health and laboratory capacity. Other sections covered personnel and pensions, veterans services, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, tourism, and environmental projects. The only recorded action on the floor was adoption of House Committee Substitute 1 to House Bill 500, followed by a motion for final passage of the bill as amended. The transcript ends as discussion on final passage begins, before any final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• :46.720><c> backlog</c><00:07:47.199><c> permits,</c><00:07:47.599><c> and</c><00:07:47.840><c> developing
• </c> address backlog permits, and developing address backlog permits, and developing tools<00:07:48.400
• for pass through which were developed for pass through grants<00:43:07.520><c> and</c><00:43:07.760>
• , development, engineering, permitting, and<01:04:32.039><c> construction.
• </c><01:14:02.560><c> the</c> account to continue developing the account to continue developing the Voyager

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:09.160><c> and</c> insurance companies we developed and insurance companies we developed and
• It's a community reinvestment grant that provides economic development, youth development, violence prevention
• It's a community reinvestment grant that provides economic development, youth development, violence prevention
• It's a community reinvestment grant that provides economic development, youth development, violence prevention
• It's a community reinvestment grant that provides economic development, youth development, violence prevention

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we'll start off the testimony with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
• I'm here on behalf of Executive Director Wendy Gayte of the Agribusiness Development Corporation.
• And we'll start off the testimony with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
• </c> of the Agribusiness Development of the Agribusiness Development Corporation.<00:02:36.640><c> We
• Development. We stand on our testimony Development.

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees met on March 19, 2025, to hear HB 966 HD2, which would create statewide standards for agricultural tourism in counties that adopt ag-tourism ordinances. The bill would require registration with county planning departments, require ag-tourism to remain tied to an active farming operation, and end the activity when the agricultural use stops except in limited circumstances. Testimony from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Kualoa Ranch, and the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council was generally supportive of the bill’s intent, with several witnesses emphasizing that agritourism can help farm viability, food security, and public education about agriculture. The Hawaii Farm Bureau and several other testifiers supported agritourism but urged strong guardrails, minimal statewide standards, and deference to county home rule. They said agriculture should remain the primary activity, warned against adding burdens to farmers and ranchers, and suggested better enforcement and agricultural expertise within county planning departments. Phil Weber and others argued for objective standards, such as minimum revenue or work-performed thresholds, annual reporting, and clearer compliance tools, and cautioned that the bill’s termination exemption could be too broad if not tightened. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on whether the bill should apply to Department of Agriculture lands, especially ag park lands, and to DLNR lands. Department of Agriculture staff explained that ag park lands currently do not allow agritourism, while non-ag park lands under Act 90 allow limited related activity tied to farm production, with revenue limits and other conditions. Members and witnesses debated how to define and measure agritourism, how to enforce county rules, and whether to exempt ag park parcels or otherwise clarify that existing DOA rules would control. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing, and the chair requested follow-up language from DOA to address possible exemptions and clarify the bill’s application.