Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also a member of the Minnesota Zero Waste Coalition and Recycling Electronics for Climate Action,
• member<00:58:14.880><c> of</c><00:58:15.000><c> the</c><00:58:15.080><c> Minnesota</c><00:58:15.480><c> Zero
• </c><00:58:15.760><c> Waste</c> member of the Minnesota Zero Waste member of the Minnesota Zero Waste

Bills: HF3426 , HF3896 , HF1426 , HF3793 , HF4061 , HF4246

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: natural resources, environment, sustainability, conservation, outdoor recreation, wild rice, watercraft regulation, environmental protection, aquatic ecosystems, HF1426, product stewardship, extended producer responsibility, EPR, electronics recycling, e-waste, battery recycling, circuit boards, printed circuit boards, electrical products, covered products

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, by a vote of 12 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, four not voting, the amendment passes
• Chairman by a vote of 12 in the affirmative<00:24:24.559><c> zero</c><00:24:24.720><c> in</c><00:24:24.880
• ><c> the</c><00:24:25.039><c> negative</c><00:24:25.440><c> four</c> affirmative zero in the negative
• four affirmative zero in the negative four not<00:24:26.000><c> voting.

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 497, a technical correction to last year’s capital budget. Shannon Reid of the Community College System of New Hampshire explained that the bill removes leftover state-agency boilerplate from a repurposed capital appropriation and replaces it with community college language, without changing any dollar amounts. She also described a requested amendment to rename a respiratory therapy renovation appropriation at Nashua Community College as an allied health instructional center, so the space can be used more flexibly for programs such as phlebotomy, radiologic technology, and LNA training. Terry Poff of the General Court then testified on the second part of the bill, which changes legislative space references to support the move of General Court offices from the second floor to the fourth floor of the annex as part of the legislative office building reconfiguration. Members asked whether the community college changes affected funding, and Reid confirmed the amounts do not change and that the bill simply speeds up a correction that otherwise would have been handled later in the lapse process. Poff said the annex space change is part of a permanent transition, though the work cannot proceed until the General Court has legal control of the space. The committee then entered executive session, adopted Amendment 1031H on a 12-0 vote, and voted ought to pass as amended on SB 497 by a 12-0 vote, with several members absent. The bill was placed on the consent calendar. The committee next opened a hearing on Senate Bill 529FN, which would give preference to lumber sourced in the United States on state-funded building projects. Representative Davis, introducing the bill for Senator Roachford, argued that New Hampshire timber is disadvantaged by grading rules that treat U.S. lumber differently from Canadian SPF lumber, even when the wood is from similar species and climates. He said the bill is intended to support New Hampshire’s timber industry and that architects and engineers would still be able to specify stronger materials when needed. Committee members questioned whether the bill should instead refer specifically to New Hampshire lumber, how it would be enforced, and what the cost impact would be. Davis and later witness Mike Olette said the issue is tied to industry grading standards rather than a government code, that the bill is meant to create a preference rather than a mandate, and that price differences are hard to pin down because lumber is a commodity. Olette, who lives near the border, testified that New Hampshire logs are often sent to Canada for milling and then return under a different grade, which he said puts New Hampshire loggers and mills at an economic disadvantage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, by a vote of 12 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, four not voting, the amendment passes
• Chairman by a vote of 12 in the affirmative<00:24:24.559><c> zero</c><00:24:24.720><c> in</c><00:24:24.880
• ><c> the</c><00:24:25.039><c> negative</c><00:24:25.440><c> four</c> affirmative zero in the negative
• four affirmative zero in the negative four not<00:24:26.000><c> voting.

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• out, when I was talking about dispersion, you have some families where their marginal tax rate is zero
• marginal<01:23:53.120><c> tax</c><01:23:53.360><c> rate</c><01:23:53.600><c> is</c><01:23:53.840><c> zero
• c><01:23:54.639><c> it</c><01:23:54.800><c> can</c><01:23:55.040><c> even</c> marginal tax rate is zero
• or it can even marginal tax rate is zero or it can even be<01:23:55.520><c> negative</c><01:23:56.719

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the last things I'll say is just this is an, Representative Kraft already said this, zero-mandate
• This is a zero-mandate<00:46:46.680><c> policy.
• 46:47.800><c> Um</c><00:46:48.440><c> it</c><00:46:48.680><c> actually</c><00:46:48.960><c> in</c> zero-mandate
• Um it actually in zero-mandate policy.

Bills: HF3776 , HF3557 , HF3585

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: screen time, preschool, kindergarten, early childhood education, digital media, tablets, smartphones, educational technology, EdTech, classroom devices, publicly funded preschool, school policy, child development, special education, IEP, 504 plan, IFSP, Minnesota education law, climate literacy, education

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, there being 13 ayes and zero nays, the motion prevails and the bill is passed. >> You know, hope
• </c><01:27:04.000><c> 13</c><01:27:04.320><c> eyes's</c><01:27:04.560><c> and</c><01:27:04.719><c> zero
• </c> &gt;&gt; Okay, there being 13 eyes's and zero &gt;&gt; Okay, there being 13 eyes's and zero nazs

Bills: HF3661 , HF2380 , HF3468 , HF3483

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: facial recognition, privacy, government surveillance, public safety, data protection, civil liberties, disability rights, discrimination, accommodations, employment, housing, public services, education, civil action, failure to render aid, damages, Minnesota Statutes, legal liability, trespass, civil immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• There was zero discussion allowed on the DE, and yet you’re participating in a discussion pointing out
• </c><00:20:18.720><c> There</c><00:20:18.880><c> was</c> There was zero discussion allowed on the DE,
• There being 14 ayes and zero nays, the amendment is adopted.
• There being 14 ayes and zero nays, the amendment is adopted.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• be considered next week, but um I think it really is our intent to look at how we can really get to zero
• </c><02:05:26.320><c> really</c><02:05:26.560><c> get</c><02:05:26.719><c> to</c><02:05:26.880><c> zero
• </c> look at how we can really get to zero look at how we can really get to zero fatalities<02:05:28.159

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several transportation-related bills. HB 1688, which would provide a general excise tax exemption for certain aircraft maintenance materials, parts, tools, and facility construction, received comments from the Department of Taxation and support from Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Kohala Coast Resort, the Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii. Testimony indicated the measure was intended to clarify an existing exemption rather than create a new one. The bulk of the hearing focused on HB 2386, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to establish automatic adjustment mechanisms and a water carrier inflationary cost index. The Department of Transportation said it would change its testimony to support the bill, citing a 2020 working group recommendation, while the PUC and DCCA offered comments. Matson, the Maritime Group, Hawaii Harbors Users Group, and Young Brothers supported the measure, arguing it would modernize regulation, improve predictability, and help maintain reliable interisland shipping. Hawaii Farm Bureau offered comments, while Hawaii Food Industry Association, Maui Brewing Company, Lani Kai Brewing Company, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii opposed it, arguing automatic rate increases were not the solution and that underlying costs and efficiencies should be addressed first. The chair noted the bill was essentially the same as one previously considered, and asked questions about how Hawaii’s water carrier regulation compares with other states. The committee also heard HB 1691, which would allow electronic signatures for certain motor vehicle title transfers after total-loss insurance settlements and remove the notary requirement for that narrow transaction. The City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, Hawaii Insurers Council, Copart, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, and one individual supported it, with Copart saying the change would reduce delays and could allow a faster, largely electronic settlement process. Members asked about county impacts, and Copart said counties would only see a different form with no added cost or electronic integration. HB 1680, requiring county finance directors to notify agencies through a centralized system for vehicle transfers, drew opposition from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services and one individual in support. HB 2516, raising helmet requirements for electric foot scooters and bicycles and requiring helmets for high-speed or Class 3 electric bicycles, received support from DOT, DOH, AAA Hawaii, and the Hawaii Bicycling League. HB 193, allowing deaf vehicle owners to register a deafness designation visible to law enforcement, drew support from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, the Hawaii Disabilities Rights Center, and an individual who suggested amendments to broaden the bill to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and adjust the proof standard. HB 2442, increasing required accessible and van-accessible parking spaces in larger parking lots, was supported by the Disability and Communication Access Board, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Disability Rights Center, which said the bill would address shortages of accessible parking and may need technical amendments to align terminology with the ADA.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the number of people who signed up online is zero.
• people who signed up the number of people who signed up online<00:24:09.520><c> is</c><00:24:09.919><c> zero
• there</c><00:24:12.320><c> doesn't</c><00:24:12.559><c> seem</c><00:24:12.799><c> to</c> online is zero
• U there doesn't seem to online is zero.

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to zero out the appropriation and put $25,000 into the committee report and defer the date
• I'm going to zero<02:13:22.960><c> out</c><02:13:23.280><c> the</c> zero out the zero out the the<02:

Bills: HB1527 , HB1823 , HB2490 , HB2223 , HB2325 , HB2104 , HB2593 , HB2592 , HB1927 , HB1553 , HB1964 , HB1918 , HB1990

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: gambling prohibition, Aloha Stadium, University of Hawaii, amateur athletics, state lands, coastal resilience, Maui, Mantokuji Bay, coastal erosion, environmental protection, Native Hawaiian, spiritual sites, historic preservation, economic development, burial sites, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, cultural history, archaeology, Hawaii Revised Statutes, civil service

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1527 relating to gambling. The chair outlined hearing rules, including a two-minute limit and a warning that bills not heard would die. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from a prosecutor, Honolulu Police Department, and Stop Predatory Gambling, all arguing that casinos and sports betting increase crime, sex trafficking, harassment of athletes, and broader social harm. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee moved on without questions or action taken on the bill. The committee then heard HB 1823 relating to coastal zone management and HB 2490 relating to coastal resilience. For HB 1823, DLNR, the Office of Planning, and Maui County testified, with Maui County supporting the measure and its proposed amendments. For HB 2490, DLNR expressed concern about exempting a proposed Mokuji Bay pilot project from permits and regulation before a long-term plan is finalized, while the County of Maui, the Mokuji Soto Zen Mission, and the Office of Planning supported the bill as a coastal resilience pilot. The mission described severe erosion, sea-level rise impacts, and years of unsuccessful efforts to stabilize the shoreline; its consultant said the study is leaning toward nature-based and hybrid solutions. In questioning, members and DLNR discussed whether the bill should say the project “shall” or “may” be exempt, and the chair indicated the language would be adjusted to preserve DLNR discretion and to change the lead agency reference to OPSD. No vote was taken in the transcript. Finally, the committee took up HB 2223 relating to historic preservation reviews. SHPD said it stood on its written comments, while OPSD and DHHL supported the bill. DHHL argued the measure would streamline reviews, improve transparency, and help address long wait times for its projects, saying it could alleviate burden on SHPD and better serve beneficiaries. Representative Shimizu questioned whether the bill would create redundancy and expand government rather than strengthen SHPD, noting a separate staffing bill already exists. SHPD responded that DHHL is uniquely subject to 6E review and that the bill would not waive federal or state historic review requirements; the discussion also touched on possible federal-style grant support and the existing memorandum of agreement between SHPD and DHHL. The transcript ends during questioning, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• the film office as a trip all over the place, which Jimmy and Dane kind of tone that thing down to a zero
• the film office as a trip all over the place, which Jimmy and Dane kind of tone that thing down to a zero
• the film office as a trip all over the place, which Jimmy and Dane kind of tone that thing down to a zero
• the film office as a trip all over the place, which Jimmy and Dane kind of tone that thing down to a zero

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard seven bills on consumer protection, DBEDT-related matters, and tourism/creative industry issues. On SB 2031, DCCA supported aligning state law with the FTC’s 2025 rule on hidden fees and pricing misrepresentations in live event ticketing and short-term lodging; hotel and financial industry witnesses also testified, and senators asked for complaint and enforcement data. On SB 2129, DBEDT and business groups supported a study of minimum wage impacts, with testimony emphasizing effects on hours, employment, prices, and business viability; a senator asked whether the study could also examine the gig economy and business closures, and DBEDT said that may be possible but would require more research and data access. On SB 2259, which would promote dementia-friendly businesses, DBEDT said the measure fit better with another agency and lacked the department’s expertise, while the Executive Office on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association supported the intent and offered to help with curriculum, branding, and training. Testifiers described dementia as a spectrum and said businesses should be trained to communicate effectively with customers and employees living with the disease; suggested amendments included changing the branding language and requiring at least 85% of employees to complete training rather than all employees. A senator also raised concerns about stigma and whether early-stage dementia should affect a person’s ability to function, and the witness responded that people can often function well in early stages. The committee also heard SB 2577 on sports tourism, which DBEDT and the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported as a way to better understand which events draw visitors and economic benefits. SB 2578, creating a film commission, drew broad support from DBEDT, Creative Industries, SAG-AFTRA, the Hawaii Film Alliance, the Hawaii Film Office, and others, but several witnesses urged changes to the commission’s composition and authority, including more labor representation and limits on the commission’s ability to adjust the production cap. Senators questioned staffing, costs, and whether current film office employees should transfer to the new commission, and one senator proposed a friendly amendment to add musicians, SAG, IATSE, and Teamsters, though the department cautioned that too many members could make the commission difficult to manage. The transcript ends during discussion of the film bill, with no final votes or committee actions stated for the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rates for pediatric cancer between the ages of zero and 19 showed a steady increase up until 2017.
• between<00:59:09.200><c> the</c><00:59:09.359><c> ages</c><00:59:09.599><c> of</c><00:59:09.760><c> zero
• and</c><00:59:10.319><c> 19</c><00:59:11.119><c> and</c><00:59:12.240><c> we</c> between the ages of zero
• and 19 and we between the ages of zero and 19 and we had<00:59:12.640><c> a</c><00:59:12.880><c> steady

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met in person, approved the October 15 minutes, and began with a moment of silence following a Louisville UPS plane explosion that was described as a local tragedy affecting many families and first responders. The main presentation was an overview of Kentucky’s Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation (NMT) program from the Department for Medicaid Services and the Transportation Cabinet. Witnesses explained that NMT is a federally required Medicaid benefit, administered by the Transportation Cabinet under a risk-based capitated model, with eligibility limited to Medicaid members traveling to medically necessary, Medicaid-covered services and who lack access to other transportation. They also described exclusions, including certain KCHIP, QMB, and PACE members, and outlined the brokered regional structure, call center operations, scheduling rules, vehicle and driver oversight, complaint handling, and rider surveys. The presenters reported that NMT handled more than 3.1 million trips in state fiscal year 2024, with over 1.38 million trips already recorded in October, and said customer satisfaction surveys were high. They said the FY 2025-26 contract total is about $360.6 million, with monthly per-member capitation rates set by region through an actuarial process and approved by CMS. They emphasized that payments are tied to monthly Medicaid enrollment and that the state draws down federal funds for the exact amount paid, with no leftover balance. They also said most NMT use comes from adult day centers and rehabilitative care such as dialysis. Members questioned the witnesses about how quality metrics and contract standards are set, whether the state had explored alternatives such as Uber Health or other integrated models, and how utilization was calculated. The witnesses said contract requirements are developed collaboratively by Medicaid Services, the Transportation Cabinet, and other agencies, and that studies of other models generally found higher costs and lower approval ratings, with additional research on a hybrid model expected by the end of the year. They clarified that one figure reflected the share of Medicaid members with registered vehicles, while another reflected actual NMT users, and they defended the capitated structure as shifting financial risk to brokers rather than the state. Representative Fleming also raised concerns about oversight, reporting, and the apparent gap between budgeted and contracted amounts, asking whether any unused funds would return to general funds; the discussion ended before a final answer was given.

Transcript Highlights:

• I got my little zero. Go ahead. You're fine.
• gt; I<00:08:17.240><c> got</c><00:08:17.400><c> my</c><00:08:17.480><c> little</c><00:08:17.680><c> zero
• </c> &gt;&gt; I got my little zero. Go ahead. &gt;&gt; I got my little zero. Go ahead.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on September 24, 2025, approved the minutes from the September 9 meeting, and then continued its discussion of Medicaid waivers with Leslie Hoffman and Carmen Hancock from the Department for Medicaid Services. Members asked for updates on the 2024 waiver waitlist management assessment recommendations, including aligning waiver policies, standardizing applications and waitlist placement, and modernizing data systems. DMS said that work is being done jointly with Aging and Independent Living and Behavioral Health/Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities through task forces, that ARPA spending delayed action, and that implementation timelines extend through March 2027. The board also reviewed per-member waiver cost averages for fiscal years 2023 through 2025 for ABI, ABI long-term care, HCBS, Model II, Michelle P, and SCL. DMS emphasized these figures were benefit-only averages based on paid claims, not full waiver costs, and explained that true budget neutrality is calculated on an aggregate basis against institutional care comparisons approved by CMS. DMS said all six waivers remain in compliance with budget neutrality and that the most recent 18-month lag review for FY 2022 and FY 2023 found costs at or below institutional care. Members also asked about unused waiver slots; DMS said slots generally cannot be reallocated mid-year if they have been used, except in cases such as death or reserved capacity, because CMS treats participants as unduplicated for the waiver year. A major portion of the meeting focused on the new child waiver created under House Bill 6. Legislators questioned whether the waiver’s design, including the exclusion of participant-directed services and the emphasis on high-acuity children with behavioral health, DCBS, or juvenile justice involvement, matched the bill’s intent to keep children at home. DMS said it used the $14.7 million appropriated for FY 2026 to develop the program, that there is no priority list, and that the waiver is intended to serve the highest-acuity children while also addressing residential needs for those sleeping in offices or placed out of state. Members also raised concerns about the rapid growth of the HCBS waiting list and asked for more detail on age and timing patterns, which DMS said it would provide later. Finally, DMS gave average processing times from application to eligibility determination and from approval to service start, and said the overall average from application to services beginning was about 80 days, while members requested follow-up information on the Carewise assessment contract and related costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness went from, I think it was 15 employees, to zero
• 38.640><c> to</c> you know, I think it was 15 employees to you know, I think it was 15 employees to zero
• ><c> Um</c><01:12:40.400><c> FMCS,</c><01:12:41.120><c> Federal</c><01:12:41.440><c> Mediation</c> zero
• Um FMCS, Federal Mediation zero.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on the State of Hawaii’s affirmative litigation against the federal administration, with no public testimony. Attorney General Lopez and deputies said the office’s goal is to enforce the rule of law, not make partisan points, and noted that Hawaii is involved in 27 ongoing cases. They grouped the cases into four broad areas: immigration, funding freezes and grant terminations, federal agency dismantling/reductions in force, and protecting elections, health, and safety. Several immigration-related cases were discussed in detail. These included a challenge to the federal sharing of Medicaid data with DHS for immigration enforcement, a similar challenge to USDA’s demand for SNAP applicant and recipient data, and litigation over immigration-enforcement conditions attached to federal grants. The office also described the birthright citizenship executive order, saying it conflicts with the 14th Amendment and Supreme Court precedent; lower courts granted preliminary relief, and the U.S. Supreme Court later addressed only the scope of nationwide injunctions, not the merits. In the Department of Transportation case, the court granted a preliminary injunction against the “Duffy directive,” finding the immigration conditions lacked statutory authority, were arbitrary and capricious, and violated the Spending Clause and APA. The briefing also covered multiple funding disputes. In the education funding freeze case, the Department of Education and OMB withheld about $6 billion in formula funds, including roughly $33 million for Hawaii; after suit was filed, the funds were released. Other cases included the termination of over $11 billion in public health grants, which affected Hawaii Department of Health grants, the NIH indirect cost cap case, and NIH grant terminations tied to DEI, transgender issues, and vaccine hesitancy. The speakers said some cases have already resulted in preliminary or permanent injunctions, while others remain on appeal or are still being litigated.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'd really like to zero in on the facility in Jefferson County, if I may, for a few minutes, because
• really<01:03:00.079><c> like</c><01:03:00.319><c> to</c><01:03:00.720><c> to</c><01:03:01.200><c> zero
• </c><01:03:01.520><c> in</c><01:03:01.760><c> on</c><01:03:02.000><c> the</c> really like to to zero
• in on the really like to to zero in on the facility<01:03:03.680><c> uh</c><01:03:04.160><c> in</c><01

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Government Contracts Committee met with a quorum and approved the July 8 minutes. It then deferred several items from the July agenda, including a Kentucky Education Television contract because the vendor was not yet registered with the Secretary of State, and a University of Louisville contract at the university’s request. The committee also deferred a behavioral health memorandum of agreement and later a Department of Community Based Services contract after questions were raised about the scope of services and the need for additional information. The most extensive discussion involved the Seven Counties Services contract with the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities. Committee members questioned why the state continues to contract with Seven Counties despite its bankruptcy and pension-related liabilities, how the funding split was determined, whether the services are statutorily required, and whether the state or another provider could deliver the services more efficiently. Agency representatives said Seven Counties is the sole provider of core community mental health services in its region, serves about 24,500 people, and that service needs and acuity remain high even as the number served has declined. A cabinet attorney said the bankruptcy dispute is ongoing and involves roughly $20 million in contested retirement contributions, though members suggested the amount may be higher. Members also raised broader concerns about whether local governments, especially Metro Louisville, should contribute more toward services tied to social determinants of health, and whether the contract includes services beyond what statute requires. The committee requested additional information on the contract scope and possible offsets or recovery of unfunded liabilities, and then voted to defer the Seven Counties contract to the next meeting. The committee also heard a separate DCBS presentation on the Youth Villages Intercept program, where staff explained it was selected because it is an approved evidence-based Family First prevention service, provides intensive in-home and foster care stabilization services, and is headquartered in Tennessee but operates across Kentucky; members asked for clarification on Medicaid billing and additional funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, motion passes nine to zero. I think that's it. Representative Wiler, yes.
• motion<01:48:26.159><c> passes</c><01:48:26.639><c> nine</c><01:48:26.880><c> to</c><01:48:27.119><c> zero
• </c> motion passes nine to zero. motion passes nine to zero.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 74, which would require agencies issuing certain real-property-related permits to track and report how many permits they issue and how long the process takes. Representative Carol McGuire introduced the bill and said the goal is to gather data on permit timing and fees, especially for DES and DOT permits involving wetlands, alteration of terrain, driveway permits, and similar approvals. Supporters argued the state needs better visibility into permitting delays and whether statutory deadlines are realistic; they also noted the bill had passed the House on a voice vote with no debate. Adam Crapo of the Department of Environmental Services said DES is generally supportive of the reporting concept but warned that the agency’s data are spread across many separate, partly manual databases. He said DES can already do this for some land resources permits through its new system, but not across all of its more than 90 permit types without additional help. DES estimated it would need two part-time positions to compile the reports, especially for waste management and water programs, and said otherwise existing permitting staff would have to do the work, potentially slowing permit processing. He also said the agency is already working to simplify rules and move more permits onto a new online platform, but could not meet the bill’s 2026 reporting deadline with current staffing and systems. Committee members questioned whether delays are often caused by incomplete applications rather than agency inaction, and Crapo said that is frequently the case. He said DES already tracks timelines to some extent for management and statutory compliance, but not at the individual-permit detail the bill would require. He also said some letters and records are captured in One Stop, but not all are. Members expressed support for the bill’s transparency goals while also worrying about added workload and possible slowdowns. The discussion then moved to DOT, where Susan Clawson said DOT is neutral on the bill because it recently implemented Salesforce and now has good data for reporting; DOT’s fiscal note reflects software-related costs, but the agency can already track the required information in its system.

Transcript Highlights:

• action framework sets a target of a 20% decrease in vehicle miles traveled per capita by 2050 and net zero
• by</c><00:31:05.200><c> 2050</c><00:31:05.840><c> and</c><00:31:06.080><c> net</c><00:31:06.240><c> zero
• </c><00:31:06.559><c> emissions</c><00:31:06.880><c> by</c> capita by 2050 and net zero emissions by
• capita by 2050 and net zero emissions by that<00:31:07.279><c> same</c><00:31:07.440><c> year.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All three came back with zero disciplinary history. Yes. Understood.
• All three came back with<01:09:27.920><c> zero</c><01:09:28.319><c> disciplinary</c><01:09:29.040><c>
• </c> with zero disciplinary history. Yes. with zero disciplinary history. Yes. Understood.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Governor’s Message 767, the nomination of Kanoi AD Jackson to serve as circuit court judge for the Third Circuit. The chair announced that the committee would not vote on the governor’s message or two judge nominations until Tuesday, April 15, but planned to vote that day on two Defender Council items. Testimony on Jackson’s nomination was limited to two minutes per speaker, and the hearing was conducted partly by Zoom. Supporters emphasized Jackson’s qualifications, work ethic, judicial temperament, and community ties. Testifiers included the West Hawaii Bar Association, family members, a retired teacher, retired Judge Robert Kim, and the Hawaii State Bar Association. The West Hawaii Bar Association said Jackson received high marks from its review process and that the Third Circuit needed a permanent judge for stability. Judge Kim and others praised her preparation, intelligence, humility, and experience as a prosecutor and litigator. Jackson also spoke in her own behalf, acknowledging that her background is primarily criminal rather than civil, but saying she is committed to learning the civil docket and serving the community if confirmed. Members questioned the Hawaii State Bar Association about the basis for its support, including how many members responded and whether concerns were raised about Jackson’s lack of civil experience. HSBA said it uses a confidential review process, receives both positive and negative comments, and does not track votes or percentages, but its board voted to support her. Judge Kim responded that judges can learn new areas of law, that civil dockets can be managed with benchbooks and help from other judges, and that Jackson’s trial experience would serve her well. No vote was taken on Jackson’s nomination during this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because maybe it's zero. I don't know.
• Because<00:51:00.800><c> and</c><00:51:01.040><c> maybe</c><00:51:01.200><c> it's</c><00:51:01.440><c> zero
• </c><00:51:01.839><c> I</c><00:51:02.079><c> don't</c> Because and maybe it's zero.
• I don't Because and maybe it's zero.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, no state has stronger protections—literally zero states in America have a stronger protection than
• state has stronger<01:31:25.119><c> protections</c><01:31:25.880><c> literally</c><01:31:26.480><c> zero
• </c> stronger protections literally zero stronger protections literally zero states<01:31:27.239><c>

Bills: HF1837 , HF361 , HF2725 , HF2566 , HF2744 , HF1685 , HF501 , HF1889 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state policy, employment, health insurance, fossil designation, public funds, community resources, Capitol Mall, grantmaking, community vitality, livability, funding, healthy aging, aging policy, older adults, seniors, elderly, gerontology, long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes