Transcript Highlights:

• I didn't hear my name, so thank you. All right.
• I didn't hear my name, so was recorded. I didn't hear my name, so thank<00:01:07.360><c> you.
• Well, But thank you for hearing me out.
• I hear, Mr.
• So uh you hear me all, it's permissive.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, thank you for hearing the bill.
• Okay, I mean, I hear what you're saying.
• Hearing none, so ordered. Chase. Mr.
• We need to hear from the parents.
• I hear what you're saying.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> other people have the right to hear other people have the right to hear that.<00:23:18.960><c> Given
• We're opening up the hearing on next.
• If not, this closes the hearing.
• If not, this closes the hearing.
• If not, this closes the hearing. Anyone? If not, this closes the hearing.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Welcome to the Senate Education Hearing.
• That concludes the hearing on SB 429. That concludes the hearing on SB 429.
• </c><00:42:15.920><c> from</c> cosmetologies you'd like to hear from cosmetologies you'd like to hear
• Thanks for hearing me today.
• </c> Seeing none, that concludes the hearing Seeing none, that concludes the hearing on<01:05:00.400>

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we're going to open up the hearing for House Bill 723. Hear from the prime sponsor.
• hearing for the House Bill 723.<00:25:53.360><c> Hear</c><00:25:53.440><c> from</c><00:25:53.600><c>
• Seeing none, we will close the hearing on 7:23.
• Seeing none, we will close the hearing on 7:23.
• Seeing none, we will close the hearing on 7:23.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, could you just say hello to let us know you can hear me and we can hear you? Online?
• Uh, could you just say hello to let us know you can hear me and we can hear you?
• We can hear you. Audio check. Yep, uh, we hear you.
• Stalberger, did you hear the question?
• the question I stalberger did you hear the question I did<01:21:49.280><c> hear</c><01:21:49.480><c>

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• We've already had a public hearing on this.
• But we've had the public hearing. The discussion is over with. Uh, the sponsor would come up. With.
• Do I hear a motion? Do I hear a second? I have to have a second on this.
• Did I hear a motion to adjourn? He's got to have a second. Everybody, which makes sense, right?

Bills: HB241

Committee: House County and Municipal Government

Transcript Highlights:

• hearing hearing uh<00:36:24.000><c> and</c><00:36:24.320><c> once</c><00:36:24.640><c> they</c><00:36
• </c> And with that, we will close the hearing And with that, we will close the hearing on<00:54:36.079
• </c> &gt;&gt; And that concludes the hearing for 1774.
• &gt;&gt; And that concludes the hearing for 1774.
• </c><04:32:05.680><c> on</c> Seeing none, we'll close the hearing on Seeing none, we'll close the hearing

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing no objections, so ordered. First order of business: reports of standing committees.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. First order of business: reports of standing committees.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. Fifth order: introduction and first reading of bills.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. Senator Riccelli. Thank you so much, Mr. President.
• Hearing no objection, the Senate now stands adjourned.

Bills: SB5223 , SB5067 , SJM8002 , SB5855 , SB5865 , SB5272 , SCR8406 , SB5000 , SB5500 , SJM8006 , SB5325 , SB5286 , SB5937

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, impaired driving, driving safety, alcohol regulation, public health, transportation, Medicare, healthcare, insurance, elderly, budget impact, face coverings, civil liberties, garnishment, debt, form standardization

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing no objections, so ordered. First order of business: reports of standing committees.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. Senator Riccelli. Thank you so much, Mr. President.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. Fifth order: introduction and first reading of bills.
• Hearing no objection, so ordered. Senator Riccelli. Thank you so much, Mr. President.
• Hearing no objection, the Senate now stands adjourned.

Summary: The Senate met on January 28, 2026, and quickly approved the previous day’s journal without objection. It then received standing committee reports and, by unanimous consent, referred the listed measures to the committees designated in those reports. The chamber moved to introduction and first reading of bills, where Senate Bill 6328, sponsored by Senator Saldaña, was introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation. The Senate also approved referral of the introductions and referrals report to the designated committees. No substantive debate or votes on bill content occurred during this brief floor session. The Senate adjourned without objection until 12:30 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> none of this language has had a hearing none of this language has had a hearing a<00:49:19.160><
• That's what you hear.
• That's what you hear.
• c> file</c><01:16:46.120><c> later</c> step when we hear that Senate file later step when we hear that
• </c> hasn't gotten a single hearing. hasn't gotten a single hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we just hear school versus those funded by social services.
• I've been hearing from stakeholders on the actual true costs.
• I'm glad to hear it.
• So if you train people for a bond hearing and then bond hearings are no longer a thing, and habeas is
• Hi, I'm—can you hear me? Yes. Am I close enough? Okay. Hi, I'm Zahn.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy budget hearing focused on child care, child welfare, and immigration-related services, with most of the discussion centered on child care funding, slot utilization, and rate reform. Department of Social Services officials said the Governor’s budget would provide $6.8 billion for child care programs in 2026-27, including $11.5 million in Prop. 64 funds for mini-grants to licensed facilities affected by 2025 disasters. They also described federal CCDF and Prop. 64 revenue reductions that would reduce general child care funding by about 4,176 slots, while emphasizing that the cuts should not affect currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning spending with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant program. Members questioned why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unfilled, and DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment work. One senator criticized the repeated explanation, argued unspent funds revert to the General Fund instead of being redirected to child care, and urged shifting more funding from contract slots to vouchers and increasing flexibility for infrastructure and expansion costs. DSS said it is exploring more flexibility, better readiness screening, and quicker redistribution of relinquished slots. The committee also discussed the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, with DSS saying it can redistribute funds among counties to avoid disenrolling children. A second panel addressed the state’s broader commitment to expand child care and move toward a single rate structure. DSS reported that since 2021-22 nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded across CCTR, CAPP, CMAP, and the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, bringing monthly service levels to more than 366,700 children. The department and CDE described progress on rate reform, including completion of the alternative methodology and joint recommendations from the labor-management committee on a single-rate framework. County and provider testimony emphasized persistent unmet need, especially for infant and toddler care, and argued that current reimbursement disparities between CDSS-funded programs and state preschool create inequities and discourage expansion. Stanislaus County Office of Education said rate differences can materially affect local program revenue and staffing, while Parent Voices California described the child care system as difficult to navigate and inequitable, especially for Black families and survivors of domestic violence. The California Budget and Policy Center argued that only a small share of eligible children are served, that Universal TK has concentrated investment in school-based settings, and that providers are still paid far below the cost of care. Members pressed the administration for deadlines on automation and implementation of the single-rate structure, and DSS said some work can proceed before collective bargaining concludes, though policy decisions are still needed. The committee also reviewed several trailer bill proposals. For the COLA, DSS proposed applying the 2026-27 increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, but acknowledged it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge from the initial calculation; the LAO recommended making the COLA increase uniform across child care and state preschool programs. On the alternative methodology survey, DSS proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology and aligning the timing with the federal CCDF state plan cycle. On licensed family child care homes, DSS proposed limiting temporary absences to 20% of monthly care hours and allowing more flexibility for medical appointments, jury duty, training, and union activities. On excessive unexplained absences, DSS proposed a statutory definition to align state policy with federal rules allowing disenrollment after 30 days of unexplained absences. The committee also discussed a proposal to require contractors to collect family fees directly so the full voucher value reaches providers, with DSS saying it is working with Riverside County on implementation and CDE asking that the same policy apply to state preschool. Finally, the committee reviewed an Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation and reporting proposal, with DSS explaining that prior funds were underused because participation costs are hard to estimate and that additional staffing and contractor support would be needed for the expanded annual report requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what I'm hearing in some of the testimony, and perhaps Rep.
• So what I'm hearing in some of the testimony and Chair.
• So I hear that.
• Again, that's fine, so I hear that, so I do appreciate that.
• It means hearing the cry before it becomes an emergency.

Bills: HB624 , HB1022 , HB1203 , SB82 , SB206 , SB305 , SB376 , SB441

Committee: House Education

Keywords: school safety, emergency operations plan, crisis management, active shooter, drills, training, classroom security, primary health services, behavioral health, school health providers, medical necessity, student health care, education, school week, instructional time, public schools, performance score, student athletes, cardiovascular health, sudden cardiac arrest

Transcript Highlights:

• we're here again, we're going to want to hear where you're at.
• I don't know what to expect, I guess, what we'll hear from them.
• I didn't want to hear what VPs and directors everybody wanted to hear.
• We're hearing on some of the contracts that are going through.
• Because I'm kind of hearing horror stories.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• Adam, can you hear us? Yes, okay, go ahead. Aloha, Chair.
• We can hear you.
• She thanked the committee for hearing the bill.
• </c><00:39:41.280><c> this</c> thank you very much for hearing this thank you very much for hearing this
• </c> answering your question for this hearing answering your question for this hearing uh<00:56:22.480

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee on Water and Land met on February 13, 2025, and heard testimony on a series of housing, land, and resource bills. Early bills included HB 743 on fiscal sustainability, HB 1318 on affordable housing, and HB 1409 on the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Improvement District Board. Testimony on the housing measures was largely supportive from agencies and advocacy groups such as the Office of Planning, Hawaii Housing Future, Hawaii Appleseed, Catholic Charities, and the County of Kauai, while the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) raised concerns on HB 1318 about public trust duties for ceded lands. On HB 1409, members questioned whether the bill needed updating in light of a separate bill changing the board structure, and witnesses said the measure did not change funding but only the board’s mission and scope. The committee also heard HB 1410, which would create a supportive housing special fund. Supporters, including Catholic Charities, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Hawaii Appleseed, argued that predictable dedicated funding is needed for supportive housing, social services, and long-term homelessness solutions. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed tax earmarks in general, saying they subvert the constitutional budgeting process. Members asked how the fund would be administered and who could access it; witnesses said HHFDC and the counties would coordinate the process, but DLNR noted the bill did not provide additional administrative capacity and suggested language to address that. Later bills included HB 528 on residential leaseholds, HB 1359 on flood mitigation, HB 1087 on historic preservation reviews, HB 868 on disabilities, and HB 1323 on transfer of non-agricultural park lands. HB 528 drew limited testimony, with a Catholic Charities/Hawaii Public Housing Authority representative offering a general example of leasehold development but saying the bill’s exemptions had not been discussed in detail. HB 1359 prompted discussion of homeowner and county responsibilities for drainage and flood damage, with DLNR saying private owners are responsible for drainage on private property and counties for county roads. HB 1087 was supported by DHHL, which said historic preservation reviews currently take about 165 days and the bill could improve timeliness, while Hawaii Historic Hawaii Foundation opposed it. HB 868 drew support from the Disability Rights Center and DCAB, with testimony focusing on beach access and the need for clearer legal authority. On HB 1323, DLNR opposed the bill, saying it did not reflect Act 90 and that some agricultural parcels should remain under DLNR for conservation, watershed, recreation, or fire protection reasons; DOA, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council supported the measure, arguing that productive agricultural lands should be transferred to agriculture to protect local food production and family ranches.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh should be able to hear you just fine.
• I was glad to hear that my own it.
• . hearing. hearing.
• Can you guys hear me? >> Yes. >> Aloha. Thank you guys for hearing this bill.
• Can you guys hear me? &gt;&gt; Aloha. Can you guys hear me? &gt;&gt; Yes. &gt;&gt; Yes.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1790 HD1, which would require law enforcement and oversight agencies to collect and report data on stops, use of force, and complaints to the Hawaii Crime Lab, which would publish incident-level information and annual reports. Supporters, including the Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Justice Rising, and the Policing Project, said the bill would improve transparency, help identify disparities, and support better policy and accountability. OHA requested amendments to ensure Hawaiians are identified as a distinct category in the data, and the University of Hawaii’s Ashley Rubin said the Crime Lab would work with agencies to make implementation as seamless as possible. The Department of Law Enforcement supported the bill’s intent but asked for a longer timeline and culturally appropriate methodology, while HPD opposed the bill as written, saying it would require too many new data points, create a significant administrative burden, and rely on subjective perceptions of race and ethnicity; HPD also noted it is piloting an e-citation system that could help with data collection. Committee members questioned HPD about current manual processes and technology options. The chair reported 18 testimonies total: 15 in support, one in opposition, and two with comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard HB 1611 HD1, which would phase down the general excise tax on groceries and nonprescription drugs until a full exemption takes effect in 2034. The Department of Taxation offered technical recommendations, including clearer definitions for groceries and nonprescription drugs and a technical change regarding the county surcharge exemption. Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and the Hawaii Food Industry Association, argued the GET on groceries is regressive and worsens food insecurity, especially for low-income households, and said the bill would provide needed relief. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical concerns, including a possible wholesale-tax enforcement issue once the exemption is fully phased in. The excerpt ends during testimony on HB 1611, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:56:24.319><c> what</c> hearing.
• I also am curious to hear what hearing.
• </c><01:02:13.920><c> that</c> this transaction, but we did hear that this transaction, but we did hear
• hearing hearing where<02:31:58.240><c> we</c><02:31:58.399><c> heard</c><02:31:58.720><c> from</c><02
• So when I hear that there's no costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• All this hearing. There was briefing.
• </c> it's a little different when you hear it's a little different when you hear about<00:50:20.720><
• </c><00:52:55.280><c> in</c> the opportunity for public hearings in the opportunity for public hearings
• So we go out right public hearing. Okay.
• So, you're hearing to intervene Right.

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational briefing on the Public Utilities Commission’s performance-based regulation (PBR) framework and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ whistleblower complaint process. Chair Jared Kohole opened the meeting, noted it was informational only with no public testimony, and explained that members would hear presentations and then have an opportunity for questions. The committee heard first from Ulupono Initiative, which provided background on why utilities are regulated, how Hawaii’s cost-of-service model and rate cases work, and why PBR was adopted to shift utility incentives away from a capital-investment bias and toward performance, efficiency, cost control, and policy goals such as renewable energy and reliability. Ulupono described Hawaii’s PBR structure as a five-year multi-year rate plan with annual revenue adjustments, a customer dividend, a Z factor for extraordinary exogenous events, and an exceptional project recovery mechanism for large projects. It also outlined performance incentive mechanisms tied to renewable portfolio standard progress, interconnection speed, reliability, and shared savings. The presentation said the current docket is evaluating a possible hybrid approach that would combine forward-looking forecasting with historical results, and Ulupono advocated for stronger incentives, arguing the current rewards are too small relative to utility revenues and should be more meaningful to better align utility behavior with legislative intent. The PUC then presented its own overview, emphasizing that the PBR docket is open and active and that the briefing was limited to the record to avoid ex parte concerns. The commission described the development of PBR in Hawaii through multiple phases beginning in 2018: an initial collaborative phase to set goals, a formal contested-case phase that produced the initial framework, later phases adding scorecards, reported metrics, and additional performance incentive mechanisms, and subsequent refinements including sunset of some mechanisms and adjustments after the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The PUC said the framework is intended to be customer-centric, administratively efficient, and protective of utility financial integrity, and that current work includes evaluating how to balance forward-looking and historical test-year approaches within the rebasing process. No votes or formal actions were taken at the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to welcome you to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities hearing
• and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee launched its first year with a powerful informational hearing
• I won't comment until we hear all of everybody's input, but very meaningful. Thank you for that.
• I won't comment until we hear all of everybody's input, but very meaningful. Thank you for that.
• We had called it a community hearing and resource fair in the work that we've done, and I have to tell

Summary: The Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met virtually to review and gather feedback on its annual report covering July 2024 through June 2025. The chair summarized the report’s main themes: five public meetings on employment data, benefit cliffs, developmental services priorities, health care, civil rights, and workforce stability; active work by the Disability Employment, Workforce Support, and new Long-Term Services and Supports/Health Equity subcommittees; and the second annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration with more than 300 participants. Commissioners praised the report and suggested improvements, including shortening it with an appendix, adding charts/graphs, including dates and raw data alongside percentages, and producing a more visual slide deck or presentation version after submission. Commissioners also discussed the need for clearer outcome-focused goals and strategic planning, especially given limited staff capacity. The chair responded that the annual report is a statutory requirement and that a separate strategic planning effort is underway through the executive board. She said the team would continue refining the report, incorporate feedback, and prepare both a text version and a more visual hard-copy version with photos and alternative text. The report was described as due to appointing authorities by October 30, and the commission planned to continue collaborating on presentation materials. Before adjourning, members briefly discussed the 2025 Paul Spooner Generational Leadership Summit, which was described as successful but still in need of funding for future years. The chair also previewed the commission’s first community event on November 4, a hybrid community listening session and resource fair, with about 170 registered participants and roughly 35 in-person organizations. The meeting ended with a motion and second to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please note that, in order to facilitate the goal of conducting a hearing, and as we proceed with witness
• ensure that everyone understands that we have rules to maintain order and run a fair and efficient hearing
• We're hearing a single item today. This is Senate Bill 73.
• Families are hearing federal calls to send immigration enforcement to polling places.
• Families are hearing federal calls to send immigration enforcement to polling places.

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety heard one item, Senate Bill 73 by Senator Cervantes, and took up committee and Elections Committee amendments. The bill was described as strengthening protections against interference in elections by extending restrictions to military personnel at polling places, protecting the chain of custody of voted ballots, and limiting law enforcement access to voting machines and voter rosters without a court order. The chair explained that the committee amendments would remove certain criminal penalties for peace officers, restore a uniform requirement for some polling-place personnel, and clarify the effect of objections by the Secretary of State or Attorney General. The author and supporters, including API Force and CHIRLA, argued the bill was needed to respond to threats of intimidation and election interference, citing concerns about armed personnel at polling places and the Riverside County sheriff’s seizure of ballots. Supporters said the measure would protect voters, especially immigrant communities and in-person voters, and preserve confidence in election administration. Opposition from the California State Sheriffs’ Association and CALA argued the bill was vague, could hinder lawful criminal investigations, and improperly restrict law enforcement and federal election oversight. After closing remarks, the committee voted to pass SB 73 as amended to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The vote was 6-1, with one member not voting. The chair and another member recommended an aye, while one member voted no.