Transcript Highlights:

• They're concerned about the impacts on education, housing, health care, and child care. So Mr.
• balance of FY25 for energy, natural resources, agriculture, community and regional development, education
• a budget together that lowers the cost of health care, builds more affordable housing, improves education
• They've gutted higher education funding.
• To increase food insecurity, poverty, and lower health education outcomes for working people.

Committee: Senate Senate Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:19:26.559><c> and</c> Camille O'Neal, a devoted educator and Camille O'Neal, a devoted educator
• </c> Claims Education Act of 2025 as amended. Claims Education Act of 2025 as amended.
• The Veterans Claims Education Act provides educational resources to steer veterans toward veteran service
• Donald Trump called for patriotic education instead of honest education.
• ><c> of</c><07:43:08.878><c> honest</c> patriotic education instead of honest patriotic education instead

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, May 19, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:40.320><c> happens</c> they're seeing and the education happens they're seeing and the education
• Um but it the education to get them up.
• Um, but education is really successful.
• And I think earlier about education.
• </c><03:23:16.479><c> with</c> coordinated effort for education with coordinated effort for education

Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> from limiting the amount of educational from limiting the amount of educational benefits<01:03:52.599
• </c><01:50:05.719><c> and</c><01:50:06.480><c> and</c> of education and and of education and and description
• For education, this is two different statutes.
• For education, this is two different statutes.
• For education, this is two different statutes.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure to add ski, snowboard, and boat wax to the state’s list of banned consumer products containing PFAS. The sponsor said the product is already banned in many other places, alternatives exist, and the concern is that these products go directly into water rather than landfills. She cited high PFAS levels in several New Hampshire lakes and argued the bill would help stop further contamination. A member of the public also described personal experience with ski wax products disappearing from the market, suggesting PFAS may have been the reason. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 167. The committee next opened a hearing on House Bill 312, dealing with college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Representative Moffett explained the bill was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s NCAA v. Alston decision and was modeled on New Jersey law. He said the bill would prevent colleges from restricting NIL compensation, require athletes to use licensed attorneys or registered sports agents, and limit certain endorsements involving addictive drugs, adult entertainment, firearms, and weapons. He framed the measure as a proactive response to a changing college sports landscape and noted possible future conflicts involving schools, agents, and endorsements. Committee members raised several concerns and suggested changes. One member questioned the bill’s exclusion of two-year institutions, another objected to the weapons restriction, and others asked how the bill would affect scholarships. The sponsor said the intent was to protect scholarships, especially athletic scholarships, and clarified that need-based scholarships were not meant to be affected. He also acknowledged discomfort with the endorsement restrictions and said the committee might want to broaden or revise the language. The hearing remained open for further consideration, with no vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:35:14.760><c> And</c> focused on engagement and education.
• And focused on engagement and education.
• Again, this is about educating parents and caregivers.
• </c> educating parents and caregivers. educating parents and caregivers.
• President, the Education Committee &gt;&gt; Mr.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Occupational Education Act of 1981. Occupational Education Act of 1981.
• </c><02:54:16.800><c> as</c> institutions of higher education as institutions of higher education as
• </c> To the education committee report.
• other changes as requested by the Department of Higher Education.
• The eyes have it, and the education report is adopted. To the bill.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These increases are primarily driven by higher projected spending for special education.
• </c><00:19:10.000><c> is</c><00:19:10.400><c> $115</c> So the first line E12 education is $115 So the
• We have seen in special education.
• services due to both increases education services due to both increases in<00:19:33.200><c> pupils</
• insured, education levels near the<01:04:08.079><c> very</c><01:04:08.319><c> top.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• has compiled a report um they Education has compiled a report um they I<00:25:34.120><c> think</c><00
• <00:58:55.559><c> uh</c> education uh education uh po<00:58:58.680><c> um</c><00:58:58.880><c> though
• </c><00:59:02.240><c> Aid</c> reimbursement from special education Aid reimbursement from special education
• </c> to accomplish many things educational to accomplish many things educational certificates<01:35:16.320
• </c> allowed me to continue my educational allowed me to continue my educational goals<01:36:07.560><

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess if we’re here for educational purposes...
• in and educate us about what you did in the past.
• So, good example, Act 751, the deferred maintenance for higher education.
• But I think the biggest thing I'm taking away, and this is the education...
• Could you possibly go over and educate me?

Summary: The committee met for an informational hearing focused largely on the state capital outlay process and House Bill 2. Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration/Facility Planning and Control described how the office prepares and administers the capital outlay bill, said the bill has grown substantially over five years, and argued that recent changes in culture, staffing, project management, cash-flow analysis, and use of third-party support have more than doubled project expenditures and improved delivery. Members asked about the use and cost of third-party project managers, delegation of smaller projects to agencies, hiring difficulties, and whether the changes represented better interpretation of existing law versus statutory changes. Husser said some statutes were amended, some internal customs were removed, and the office would provide a list of those changes. He also explained that the office is trying to move away from overly rigid practices and toward faster project completion while still following public-bid and oversight rules. A major portion of the discussion centered on the size and structure of the capital outlay bill, especially the gap between Priority 1 cash capacity and the much larger Priority 5 backlog. Husser said the current annual Priority 1 limit is tied to construction inflation and is about $574 million, with additional surplus funds also available, but that the bill contains far more Priority 5 funding than can realistically move in a five-year plan. He and members discussed dormant projects, scope creep, legacy projects that have sat in the bill for years, and the problem of false expectations for non-state entities. Proposed solutions included limiting Priority 5 to five times Priority 1, requiring annual re-endorsement by members, setting district or project caps for non-state projects, requiring time limits and reporting for grant-like non-state projects, placing matches in escrow, requiring design readiness before submission, and consolidating the many existing reporting requirements into one clearer report. Members also discussed bundling multiple projects under one agency project, which the House had begun piloting for LSU, UL Lafayette, Southern, and DOTD, and which Husser said could improve flexibility, reduce overappropriation, and better reflect actual spending. Baker then explained cash-flow management and the commitment process, saying FPC now analyzes projects annually to estimate what can actually be spent in the next fiscal year and uses commitments to allow projects to proceed when future-year funding is expected. He said overappropriations can result from poor cash-flow estimates, delays, dormant projects, or projects coming in under budget, and that the office is already reworking cash-flow assumptions and reappropriating savings where possible. Members also raised concerns about change orders and low bids; staff said project managers review change orders closely, require concurrence on non-state projects, and sometimes reduce scope to keep projects within budget. After FPC’s presentation, the committee heard the beginning of Louisiana Economic Development’s capital outlay discussion, where LED explained that its projects generally fall into three categories, including the Economic Development Awards Program and Site Readiness Program, both used to support targeted economic development and job creation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess if we’re here for educational purposes...
• But how we got here and knowing, having that education in our minds, maybe I missed it.
• in and educate us about what you did in the past.
• So, good example, Act 751, the Deferred Maintenance for Higher Education.
• Could you possibly go over and educate us?

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I deal with our educational institutions and as I deal with who I deal with in supply chain, one of
• We have two generating plants, and I think Pam may be a little more educated than I am on the size of
• When I, as a nuclear engineer, go out there and say, “Well, I’m going to educate people,” sometimes the
• The orange dots represent where educational institutions also had research reactors or other activities
• webinars on various topics related to nuclear, looking for written resources to support education and

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The committee met to hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear economics, workforce, community impacts, and financing. Nucleon Energy’s William Bridge presented a report estimating the economic impacts of hypothetical 200-megawatt and 600-megawatt SMRs, including construction and operating jobs, local spending, tax revenue, and the private-sector conditions needed to attract investment. He said the report used nth-of-a-kind cost assumptions, discussed security and water siting considerations, and argued that early community engagement and permitting work should be timed to when projects are closer to being economic. Committee members questioned cost assumptions, security staffing, transmission and water siting, and whether large reactors or SMRs are more likely to be financed in the near term. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning. She described declining labor-force demographics, the need for hundreds of thousands of new energy workers by 2050, and six workforce priorities: career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and non-traditional pipelines. She highlighted the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, robotics, and when training should begin relative to future plant construction; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers broadly and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. Red Wing, Minnesota Mayor Gary Yako described hosting the Prairie Island nuclear generating facility. He said the plant provides a large share of the city’s property tax base, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to local emergency preparedness, and is a strong community partner through donations and employee involvement. He said the city supports relicensing, has regular emergency drills, and has had no issues with dry cask storage. The committee also heard from NEI’s Benton Arnett, who reviewed the current financing landscape, including federal tax credits, DOE loan authority, offtake agreements, and the shift toward project developers and special-purpose vehicles. He said early projects face high first-of-a-kind costs, but federal support and long-term power purchase agreements are helping make projects financeable. Finally, DOE’s Julie Kazeraki described the Office of Energy Dominance Financing and its role in supporting new nuclear, restarts, uprates, and supply chain investments, emphasizing that federal loan and tax-credit tools are intended to reduce upfront risk and improve project affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• As I deal with our educational institutions and as I deal with who I deal with in supply chain, one of
• We have two generating plants, and I think Pam may be a little more educated than I am on the size of
• When I, as a nuclear engineer, go out there and say, well, I'm going to educate people, sometimes the
• The orange dots represent where educational institutions also had research, research... ...orange dots
• webinars on various topics related to nuclear, looking for written resources to support education and

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I've been doing vaping prevention education in our local schools across the state for the last 9
• retailers about this authorized educate retailers about this authorized list.<00:03:44.560><c> Just<
• </c><00:04:31.600><c> in</c><00:04:32.000><c> our</c> uh vaping prevention education in our uh vaping
• prevention education in our local<00:04:32.880><c> schools</c><00:04:33.280><c> across</c><00:04:33.520
• process with the parent and education process with the parent and the<00:43:18.040><c> kid.

Bills: HB1573 , HB1645 , HB1875 , HB1898 , HB2121

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: electronic smoking devices, e-liquids, certification, FDA, state law, penalties, compliance, directory, public health, nonprofit, child welfare, liability, insurance, legal protections, Hawaii, health care, reproductive rights, gender-affirming care, privacy, civil liability

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1573, which would create state enforcement authority over unauthorized e-cigarette products and related tobacco enforcement. Supporters including SHPDA, the Department of Health, the Attorney General’s office, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others said the bill would help protect youth from unauthorized vaping products, give the state tools to enforce an FDA-authorized product list, and add penalties and inspection authority. A committee member asked whether enforcement staff were available and what penalties would apply; the response was that existing tobacco investigators would take on the work, and the bill includes civil penalties, seizure authority, and possible license revocation referrals. The measure drew both support and opposition testimony, but no vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 1645, relating to liability for child welfare service providers. The Insurance Division said it was aware of the insurance-cost problem, had raised the issue with the NAIC, and was exploring a captive insurance option, while suggesting the legislature consider additional appropriations to DHS to cover higher contract costs. Supporters, including Parents and Children Together and Hawaii Insurance Council, argued the bill would help child welfare providers obtain insurance and continue critical services. Opponents, including the Hawaii Association for Justice, warned that removing joint and several liability could leave victims undercompensated and might not actually lower premiums. The insurance commissioner said other states have done tort reform in this area, but the committee was told it is not clear the bill would reduce insurance costs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on HB 1875, which would protect access to gender-affirming care in Hawaii and shield patients and providers from out-of-state legal actions. Support came from the Hawaii State Youth Commission, LGBTQ+ and public health groups, medical professionals, ACLU Hawaii, Planned Parenthood, and others, who said gender-affirming care is evidence-based, medically necessary, and important for patient privacy, provider stability, and continuity of care. Several witnesses asked for amendments to the bill’s definition language. Opposition testimony came from individuals and groups including Hawaii Christian Coalition, Leeward Republican Women’s Club, and others, who argued the bill could expose children to irreversible decisions and that more research is needed. The chair noted roughly 176 supporters and about 40 opponents testified. No final action or vote was reported in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, there may be kinds of work, for instance educational programs, where we would work with a grantee
• Uh there may be kinds of work um for<00:53:55.599><c> instance</c><00:53:56.000><c> educational</c><00
• educational programs where we<00:53:57.440><c> would</c><00:53:57.680><c> work</c><00:53:57.920><c>
• I don’t If they’re doing educational programs, uh, wouldn’t you, you know, visit them in their workshop
• I I I don't know that the education.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, my dad, who grew up to be Governor of New Mexico, had a third-grade education.
• My mother had an eighth-grade education.
• with that eighth-grade education from her time.
• So, are we struggling in education? Yes. Are we struggling in USDA? Yes.
• Let's look at the national standings for higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Hawaii State Department of Education wants to testify in person. They're not here.
• So there's some programs right now at Hava for higher education with Chaminade University, which has
• </c><00:33:29.519><c> with</c><00:33:29.679><c> Shamanad</c> higher education with Shamanad higher education
• </c><01:02:36.400><c> Um,</c><01:02:37.280><c> and</c> for public education in Hawaii.
• Um, and for public education in Hawaii.

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety heard several resolutions, including HCR 944/HR 90 to request a gubernatorial proclamation designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7, 2025; HCR 205/HR 197 urging Maui County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a permanent replacement for the Kulani Hakoi Bridge; and HCR 164/HR 159 urging counties to maintain an electronically accessible list of hurricane refuge shelters. No one testified on the first two measures. On the hurricane shelter resolution, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent and requested a wording change from “special needs” to “access and functional needs.” The committee then heard HCR 70, which asks the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to expand personal and professional development programs to include community service programs. Director Tommy Johnson said DCR supports the intent and described existing community service work lines at Kulani, the women’s correctional facility, and Wawa, including tasks such as pothole repair, tree trimming, and school grounds work. In response to questions, he said participation depends on inmate eligibility, volunteer status, and whether the work would interfere with programming; inmates must have no serious misconducts in the prior year and no escape attempts. He also explained that some work lines are tied to security classifications and facility type. The committee spent the most time on HCR 153/HR 148, which requests DCR to incrementally reduce the number of inmates housed in private out-of-state facilities. The ACLU of Hawaii strongly supported the resolution, arguing that private prisons are unsafe and that Hawaii should bring incarcerated people home. The ACLU cited federal findings and actions against private prison contractors, conditions at the Saguaro facility in Arizona, and the need for in-state rehabilitation and oversight. Director Johnson also supported the measure in principle but said population levels, security classifications, and available in-state facilities limit how quickly people can be returned. He said DCR provides annual reports on inmates eligible to return and suggested more frequent reporting could be considered. Committee members discussed benchmarks, quarterly reporting, parole, and reintegration services, and the ACLU argued that other states have reduced or phased out private prison use through sentencing reform, parole changes, and reintegration programs. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Educate us on the impact those dollars have in our communities. Educate yourself.
• Educate us on the impact those dollars have in our communities. Educate yourself.
• :46:11.000><c> our</c><00:46:11.480><c> communities</c><00:46:12.480><c> educate</c><00:46:13.040><c>
• yourself</c> have in our communities educate yourself have in our communities educate yourself here<
• You know, the other place that our general fund—the second kind of significant pot—is K-12 education.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 169, which would change the tax structure for charitable gambling. Representative Robbins offered and the committee adopted the A1 author’s amendment, described as a technical correction to ensure sports-themed tip boards are not inadvertently taxed under the bill. Robbins then presented the bill as a way to replace the current tiered combined net receipts tax on charitable gambling with a flat 5% rate, arguing charities were being overtaxed and that prior promises of relief had not been fully delivered. Chair Stevenson pushed back on several of Robbins’ factual claims, correcting the record on the status of E-pull tabs, the share of charitable gambling revenue they represent, and the amount of tax relief already enacted in 2023 and 2024. He said E-tabs were not eliminated, that the revenue split between paper pull tabs and E-tabs is closer to 45/55, and that charities had already received a $15 million tax cut plus savings from reduced developer fees. Robbins responded that the changes still significantly reduced revenue and that the bill was intended as a middle-ground approach. Testimony largely came from charitable gambling and veterans groups in support of the bill. Rachel Jenner of Allied Charities of Minnesota said nearly 1,000 charities depend on charitable gambling, cited high taxes and fees, and said many organizations were seeing revenue declines after the new E-pull tab rules took effect. Dr. Christy Jano of the American Legion Department of Minnesota said charitable gambling funds support veterans, youth, and community programs, and that a flat 5% tax would help posts continue those efforts. Members asked about the size of the revenue drops and how much gambling proceeds go to overhead and operating costs; Jenner said the losses varied by organization and that it was too early to know the long-term effect, while Jano said some expenses are used for property taxes and building upkeep. The committee then moved on to additional testimony, including Tim Angstrom, but no final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nonprofits that receive federal funding support programs in health centers, early childhood education
• :09:51.079><c> childhood</c> in health centers early childhood in health centers early childhood education
• to clarify that the Department of Education will establish guidelines with a county-level geographic
• will establish guidelines with Education will establish guidelines with a<00:37:03.720><c> county</c
• in the term in the bill with Educators in the term in the bill with the<00:40:10.920><c> term</c><00

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees considered a large number of Senate bills, with many measures advanced either unamended or with technical or substantive amendments. Early action included SB 88 and SB 11 SD1, both passed unamended, and SB 562 SD1 and SB 642 SD1, which were passed with amendments reflecting agency testimony. SB 1133 SD1 was amended to remove duplicative county requirements and clarify tax credit carry-forward eligibility, while SB 1569 SD1 on sports wagering was deferred. Later, SB 933 on nonprofit/federal funding support drew strong testimony from nonprofit and health advocates emphasizing the risk of federal funding freezes and the importance of protecting services such as early learning, domestic violence support, housing, and workforce supports; the committee recommended amendments to define eligible organizations, require reporting, and include the Judiciary. SB 934 and SB 935 were also amended, with SB 934 tying mass transit funding to Honolulu project milestones and SB 935 revising retirement-system language to change “fewer than five years” to “five or more years.” The committees then took up additional measures with targeted amendments. SB 1033 was amended to clarify that the bill applies to legal entities, not individuals, though members noted concerns about closely held family corporations and asked that the issue be reflected in the committee report. SB 1166, SB 1249, and SB 1256 were advanced with amendments or committee-report notes reflecting concerns from the Attorney General, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaii Farmers Union United, respectively. SB 1432 and SB 137, both relating to electric utilities, were amended to require retention of covered employees after mergers or acquisitions and to direct the PUC to consider whether proposed transactions further state policy goals. SB 157 on antitrust was narrowed to focus on coordinator conduct in rental housing markets, SB 252 on invasive species received a defective effective date, and SB 336 on defense of state employers and employees passed unamended. SB 536 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority was deferred to a later hearing, and SB 1064 on medical cannabis was heavily amended to authorize cultivator licenses with limits on canopy size, license counts, physician fees, and a special-fund appropriation for enforcement. In the Ways and Means portion, the committee passed several bills unamended, including SB 19, SB 124, SB 264, SB 345, SB 422, and SB 741 and SB 747 later in the agenda. SB 361 was amended to remove references to the attorney general and delete an appropriation section, SB 438 was amended to redefine buffer zones and landfill-unit language, and SB 441 and SB 494 were amended to blank appropriations and, in SB 494, assign charter-school audit responsibility to the state auditor. SB 659 was substantially amended to promote local procurement, including county-level geographic preferences and higher thresholds for locally sourced purchases, and SB 732 was amended to adjust film tax credit provisions, including the streaming-platform definition and sunset-related language. SB 819 was amended to replace references to “educators” with “teachers.” Throughout, most measures were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on particular bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was hesitant at first, but after educating myself, we found hope through an organization called Vets
• The committee on higher education passed the recommendation with amendments.
• 09:58.480><c> committee</c><01:09:59.040><c> on</c><01:09:59.440><c> higher</c><01:09:59.719><c> education
• </c><01:10:00.280><c> same</c> the committee on higher education same the committee on higher education
• </c> education committee on higher education education committee on higher education to<01:10:10.480>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on several measures related to child welfare, health care access, overdose response, disability services, and waste management. For SB 710 on child welfare, the Department of Human Services, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Attorney General’s office, and multiple advocacy groups testified in support, with the Governor’s office noting support but deferring to the Attorney General on implementation because of separation-of-powers concerns. For SB 952 on child welfare services, DHS, the Governor’s office, and child- and trauma-informed care advocates supported the bill, saying it would help families access services, provide basic material support, and reduce strain on the child welfare system. SB 954 on a home health services rate study also drew support, including from DHS, the Hawaii Healthcare Association, and a public testifier who said the study would help ensure funds reach low-income, disabled, and kupuna recipients. SB 957 on overdose prevention received support from the Department of Health and the Attorney General, who said overdose prevention centers are evidence-based but raised federal-law concerns and recommended amendments; the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center and others also testified in support. The committee then moved to the 1:00 regular calendar and heard SB 850 on disability health disparity, which was supported by the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, self-advocates, and others. Testimony emphasized that a disparity study could improve workforce development, training, and services for people with disabilities. SB 838 on continuous glucose monitoring drew support from health agencies and advocates, with testimony stressing that monitors can be critical for some diabetes patients. SB 829 on health care was supported by the Department of Health and health care stakeholders, who said it would help rotating physicians serve neighbor islands without local hospital privileges and align with CMS rules. SB 446 on waste management drew mixed testimony: the Department of Health and several public entities provided comments, the County of Maui opposed, and environmental advocates urged stronger aquifer protections and limits on ash reuse. During decision making, the committee adopted recommendations to pass SB 298, SB 322, SB 299, SB 450, SB 451, SB 949, SB 710, SB 957, SB 69, and SD 952 with various amendments, including technical changes, blank appropriations, and defective dates. SB 323, SB 324, SB 712, SB 950, SB 954, and SB 959 were deferred, largely because companion House measures were moving or similar Senate measures had already passed. The chair also announced recesses to find quorum and noted that some bills from the earlier Monday calendar were being deferred to avoid duplication.

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of dynamics around that—the first thing we need to do is educate consumers.
• A lot of dynamics around that—the first thing we need to do is educate consumers.
• consumers it is their behavior educate consumers it is their behavior and<00:38:18.200><c> th</c><00
• Consumer education is a constant challenge and something that we're committed to, and something that
• The gymnasium will have an improved community access career technical education space addition, HVAC

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all