Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:15:25.800><c> Ic><00:15:25.880><c> willc><00:15:26.080><c> takec><00:15:26.240><c> ac
• <c> arec><01:21:23.320><c> thec><01:21:23.400><c> classc><01:21:23.760><c> fourc><01:21:24.040
• c><01:21:24.920><c> Umc> believe are the class four roads. Um believe are the class four roads.
• ><c> ac> saying they could be charged with a saying they could be charged with a misdemeanor<01:47:
• c> misdemeanor or a felony. misdemeanor or a felony.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: House Transportation opened public hearings on three Senate bills and discussed a fourth scheduling issue. On SB 499, which would change Traffic Safety Commission reporting requirements, the sponsor’s representative said the bill would require annual aggregated data on the causes of traffic collisions in New Hampshire and recommendations to address them. Members asked about the added Trauma Medical Review Committee seat, and a representative explained that it is a longstanding state board of emergency and trauma professionals; the bill had already been amended and passed unanimously earlier in the process. On SB 500, concerning restroom access for certain commercial motor vehicle operators, the sponsor and trucking-industry supporters said the measure arose from concerns raised by female truck drivers and was intended to require larger commercial facilities with available public or employee restrooms to allow truck drivers to use them when there are no public safety concerns. Supporters from the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association said driver shortages make it important to recruit and retain women, and that lack of bathroom access is a significant barrier. Committee members asked about the scope of the problem and whether the issue affected male and female drivers differently. The committee then heard SB 559, which would reduce the minimum allowable speed limit on locally controlled roads. Supporters, including bicyclists and the Bike-Walk Alliance, testified that lower speeds improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, citing personal crash experiences and national guidance supporting lower urban speed limits where warranted by traffic or engineering studies. They emphasized the bill would not mandate lower limits statewide but would give towns local discretion. Members questioned whether the group would support 15 mph limits and how congestion and travel-time concerns were weighed. A Department of Transportation official testified neutrally, saying the agency had no formal position but had concerns about public perception and possible spillover to unnumbered state roads. The chair also noted an earlier scheduling problem that prevented immediate executive action on a bill until later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• error there instead of uh had a slight error there instead of uh misdemeanor.<00:02:14.160><c> Itc>
• <00:02:14.319><c> itc><00:02:14.560><c> saysc><00:02:14.800><c> misdemeanorc><00:02:15.360><c>
• inc> misdemeanor.
• It it says misdemeanor in the<00:02:15.599><c> originalc><00:02:15.920><c> bill.
• c><01:39:08.000><c> throughc><01:39:08.239><c> thec><01:39:08.480><c> classc><01:39:08.800><c

Bills: HB0075, HB0128

Keywords: virtual currency, kiosk, financial institutions, regulation, Wyoming Money Transmitters Act, penalties, severance tax, oil production, tax exemption, energy sector, economic impact, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE BILL ALSO CREATES A NEW MISDEMEANOR FOR HARASSING ANYONE ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH DRONES
• A MISDEMEANOR? YES A FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR. HAVE IT IN THE PAST SUPERVISORS CAUGHT THIS I KNOW.
• WE ARE NOT ADDING MISDEMEANOR HERE. THAT IS CURRENT LAW.
• IF YOU KNOWINGLY SIGN ANOTHER PETITION THAN IT COULD BE A MISDEMEANOR.
• ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IT'S A MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST° FOR ME TO KNOWINGLY SIGN A PETITION MORE THAN ONCE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> Vicec><00:00:42.920><c> chairc><00:00:43.160><c> wheelerc><00:00:44.160><c> presc><00:00
• c><00:00:49.360><c> havec><00:00:49.520><c> ac><00:00:49.680><c> quorumc><00:00:50.680><c> first
• ><00:21:17.480><c> ac> a case is dismissed with a DUI or a a case is dismissed with a DUI or a misdemeanor
• donec> misdemeanor possession it's it's done misdemeanor possession it's it's done you<00:21:20.600
• c> misdemeanor charge uh you're released misdemeanor charge uh you're released you<00:21:47.720><c>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:24 SB 7: 00:00:51 SB 130: 00:06:00 SB 244: 00:11:17 SB 236: 00:13:31, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met with a quorum and considered four bills. Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Bledsoe, would create a Right of Publicity Act to prohibit unauthorized commercial use of a person’s unclothed likeness, including for living and deceased individuals, while carving out exemptions for artistic and news-related uses. Bledsoe said the bill is intended to address privacy, dignity, and AI-generated image misuse, and noted she may offer a floor amendment to address concerns from broadband and internet providers. Sen. Thomas supported the bill but questioned the 10-year duration, and Bledsoe said that timeframe was somewhat arbitrary. The committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 7 with favorable expression to the floor. Senate Bill 130, presented by Sen. Maiden, addressed gift card scams and theft of redemption information. A committee substitute was adopted, and Maiden described the bill as a response to organized retail crime, citing major gift card scams in Louisville and Lexington and explaining how tampered cards are returned to shelves and later drained after purchase. He said the substitute would create clear criminal penalties, make gift card tampering a felony, and add gift card fraud to the credit card fraud statute. Members shared personal experiences with compromised gift cards, and the committee approved SB 130 8-0 with favorable expression. Senate Bill 244, a reorganization cleanup bill presented by Sen. Howell and Attorney General’s office counsel Will Schroer, would complete name and structural changes following the transfer of Administrative Hearings and Child Support from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Attorney General’s office and align the bill with prior data privacy legislation. The committee voted 9-0 to send SB 244 to the floor with favorable expression. Senate Bill 236, sponsored by Sen. Smith, drew extended discussion about a veteran’s case involving an old misdemeanor/DUI matter and a later warrant or failure-to-appear issue. The witness described being arrested years later despite having rebuilt her life, and senators debated whether the bill’s proposed time limit could create loopholes or affect court procedures; members emphasized that the underlying charge would remain and that the bill was aimed at unserved failure-to-appear warrants. The committee ultimately voted to advance SB 236 with favorable expression, with several members explaining their support while noting concerns about possible future language changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've got 3 facilities down south, um, that deal with misdemeanors, and these are, are largely misdemeanor
• us, uh, write these folks, uh, use some of the extra facilities that TDCJ has, convert them to misdemeanor
• At this time the chair calls up Jackie C R R.
• private vendors, while incarcerated, I was an interested party in the Cole versus Collier excessive heat class

Bills: HB153

Transcript Highlights:

• If a minor was pulled over and found in violation of this law, they'd be charged with a misdemeanor offense
• You are, it will create a class of people who inherently don't trust the police, and so perhaps that's
• C A R L I E S. OK. I just want to make sure we have it right.
• Since 2022, felony drug referrals have risen by 26%, while misdemeanor drug referrals have jumped 40%
• At the same time, juvenile assault offenses have risen nearly 30%, and weapon-related misdemeanors now

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill classifies a failure to adhere to the insurance requirements as a class three misdemeanor or
• class one misdemeanor if the watercraft is involved in an accident in Arizona.
• The bill classifies a failure to adhere to the insurance requirements as a class three misdemeanor or
• class one misdemeanor if the watercraft is involved in an accident in Arizona.
• The bill also or class one misdemeanor if the watercraft is involved in an accident in Arizona.

Bills: HB2091, HB2140, HB2320, HB2384, HB2398, HB2502, HB2780, HB2918, HB2939, HB2950, HB2999, HB4020, HB4026, HB4029

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, investment, state treasurer, gold bullion, treasury management, financial regulations, school districts, bonds, financial advisors, elections, municipal advisors, cost of borrowing, lease agreements, school property, tax exemptions, impact aid revenue bonds

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee approved the minutes from March 16, 2026, then heard testimony on a series of bills, with the chair noting that testimony and votes would be handled in batches because members were coming and going. HB 2939 would raise the rural qualified facilities tax credit from $20,000 to $25,000 per job for certain projects with initial investment under $2 billion. Lucid Motors supported the change as a tool to attract manufacturing jobs to rural Arizona, while opponents questioned whether the higher credit would actually create new jobs and pointed to a fiscal note that could reach $48 million. The committee later passed the bill 5-2. HB 2950 would authorize municipalities and counties to form tourism improvement areas funded by lodging business assessments for marketing and tourism promotion. The Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association and Visit Phoenix supported the measure, describing TIAs as voluntary, locally controlled tools already used in other states and useful for rural destinations; senators pressed on whether the assessments were truly voluntary and how the districts would be formed and administered. The bill passed 5-2. HB 2780, a technical cleanup bill related to property tax lien foreclosure and excess proceeds sales, was described as conforming changes to a prior law creating a mechanism for delinquent taxpayers to recover equity; it passed 6-1. HB 2502 would allow certain ASRS members who are elected officials to retire at normal retirement age without resigning their elected office, with the employer paying the alternate contribution rate. ASRS said it was neutral, and the sponsor and a lobbyist argued the bill would create parity with non-elected members who can retire and return to work; the committee passed it 5-2. HB 2140, as amended by a striker, would let the state treasurer invest up to 10% of trust and treasury monies in physical gold or silver bullion held in secure U.S. depositories. The sponsor and Sound Money Defense League supported it as a diversification and inflation hedge, while opponents argued gold is volatile, costly to store, and not a better use of taxpayer funds; the committee adopted the striker and passed the bill 4-2. HB 2398 would require commercial liability insurance for watercraft rented or hired in Arizona, including peer-to-peer boat-sharing programs, while not affecting ordinary personal boat ownership. The sponsor, insurers, and rental operators said the bill responds to uninsured boats being rented through apps and to safety and liability problems; some members said training should also be addressed. The committee adopted an amendment and passed the bill 6-1. Finally, HB 2999 would create state affordable infrastructure districts to finance public infrastructure for housing through bonds, taxes, and assessments, with unanimous landowner consent and disclosure requirements. Home builders and contractors said the districts could lower upfront housing costs and improve financing, but contractors sought stronger payment protections and some senators worried the bill could add red tape and costs without guaranteeing savings to homebuyers. After adopting a large amendment, the committee passed HB 2999, though at least one member voted no and another passed on the vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:51.559><c> thatc><00:19:51.640><c> canc><00:19:51.760><c> bec> misdemeanor crime um that
• c> misdemeanorc><00:21:17.799><c> andc><00:21:18.440><c> felonyc> misdemeanor gross misdemeanor
• and felony misdemeanor gross misdemeanor and felony by<00:21:19.679><c> thec><00:21:19.919><c> dollar
• <c> wouldc><00:21:32.480><c> youc><00:21:32.760><c> bec> misdemeanor but um would you be misdemeanor
• ><c> inc> crime this gross misdemeanor in crime this gross misdemeanor in Minnesota<00:25:48.120><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• toc><00:02:11.760><c> endc><00:02:12.000><c> itselfc><00:02:12.800><c> andc><00:02:12.959><c
• c><00:02:17.040><c> ac><00:02:17.280><c> 2022c><00:02:18.480><c> meetingc><00:02:18.879><c> of
• <00:02:45.680><c> Doc><00:02:45.840><c> wec><00:02:46.000><c> havec><00:02:46.160><c> ac><00:
• ><c> wec><00:03:21.920><c> gotc><00:03:22.000><c> toc><00:03:22.159><c> goc><00:03:22.239><c>
• <c> bec><00:04:25.199><c> toc><00:04:25.440><c> thec><00:04:25.759><c> 2028c><00:04:27.120><c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 3040, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Supporters, including Moms Demand Action and a crime-victim advocate, argued the office would improve data collection, research, and coordination to help reduce gun violence. Opponents, including several gun-rights advocates, said the proposal was duplicative, lacked oversight, and would exclude the firearms community. The chair noted 41 testimonies in support and 77 in opposition, but no vote was taken on the bill in the portion provided. The committee then moved through a series of decision-making items and adopted the chair’s recommendations on several measures. SB 17 on wildfire mitigation passed with amendments from multiple agencies and a report date shifted to the 2028 session. SB 2730 on criminal justice reform passed with a defective effective date amendment, SB 2749 on sentencing passed with a defective effective date, SB 2688 on compassionate release passed with amendments narrowing eligibility and adding notification and funding language, and SB 2798 on law enforcement passed with a defective effective date to make the agricultural enforcement pilot program permanent. SB 2645, a short-form bill, was amended to insert substantive provisions and recommitted to the committee. SB 2383, which would have provided a $15,000 retention bonus for sworn law enforcement officers, was reconsidered and held in committee because it was identified as a duplicate. The committee also passed SB 2575, relating to firearms, with amendments adopting a proposed SD1 that would establish minimum mandatory prison terms for certain class A firearm felonies and add clarifying language. SB 2720, which would create a Hawaii firearm injury restitution fund funded by firearm manufacturer licenses, also passed with amendments clarifying the fund’s scope and eligible injuries. Later, the committee began hearing SB 3107 on parole eligibility. The Office of the Public Defender and the Hawaii Paroling Authority supported language allowing the parole board to waive certain program requirements, while the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission opposed the bill, warning it could keep people incarcerated longer if program access remains limited. The Department of Corrections said it is working on classification changes and a pilot project to move inmates through the system faster.

Transcript Highlights:

• A misdemeanor, driving under the influence, and if the repeatable offense could be a Class A misdemeanor
• And if the repeatable offense could be a Class A misdemeanor.
• Notably, as has already been discussed, it adds prosecuting attorneys to the class of parties who may
• Notably, as has already been discussed, it adds prosecuting attorneys to the class of parties who may
• And then in 565.330, Infants Protection Act, the offense of infanticide is a class A felony.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• datac><00:15:00.480><c> onc><00:15:00.640><c> thec><00:15:00.760><c> causec><00:15:01.160><c
• ><c> havec><00:15:05.000><c> onc><00:15:05.120><c> howc><00:15:05.280><c> toc> recommendations
• <c> arec><01:21:23.320><c> thec><01:21:23.400><c> classc><01:21:23.760><c> fourc><01:21:24.040
• ><c> ac> saying they could be charged with a saying they could be charged with a misdemeanor<01:47:
• c> misdemeanor or a felony. misdemeanor or a felony.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Bills: SCR 13, SCR 24, SB 1, SB 12, SB 15, SB 17, SB 24, SB 57, SB 65, SB 213, SB 371, SB 372, SB 378, SB 379, SB 388, SB 400, SB 402, SB 427, SB 495, SB 499, SB 502, SB 509, SB 535, SB 583, SB 610, SB 621, SB 650, SB 706, SB 740, SB 840, SB 854, SB 856, SB 875, SB 893, SB 918, SB 925, SB 974, SB 995, SB 1006, SB 1018, SB 1025, SB 1061, SB 1073, SB 1106, SB 1121, SB 1194, SB 1252, SB 1253, SB 1268, SB 1300, SB 1343, SB 1362, SB 1447, SJR 36, SJR 12, SJR 57, SCR 25, SCR 22, SCR 12, SCR 24, SCR 8, SB 565, SB 372, SB 765, SB 62, SB 666, SB 707, SB 888, SB 687, SB 847, SB 1248, SB 740, SB 14, SB 1006, SB 504, SB 925, SB 1121, SB 995, SB 857, SB 305, SB 296, SB 284, SB 815, SB 1379, SB 1300, SB 1497, SB 1499, SB 1498, SB 1061, SB 65, SB 241, SB 304, SB 402, SB 499, SB 621, SB 974, SB 1023, SB 1024, SB 1025, SB 1106, SB 686, SB 112, SB 371, SB 204, SB 400, SB 609, SB 1447, SB 670, SB 502, SB 427, SB 850, SB 854, SB 413, SB 1555, SB 1362, SB 1346, SB 1033, SB 1220, SB 1073, SB 810, SB 987, SB 1539, SB 893, SB 447, SB 875, SB 406, SB 509, SB 985, SB 965, SB 1119, SB 1505, SB 24, SB 57, SB 1194, SB 1253, SB 1215, SB 1532, SB 1268, SB 1302, SB 856, SB 650, SB 583, SB 673, SB 840, SB 213, SB 681, SB 1172, SB 1252, SB 378, SB 610, SB 918, SB 1343, SB 608, SB 487, SB 955, SB 957, SB 988, SB 990, SB 1019, SB 1021, SB 1120, SB 251, SB 958, SB 535, SB 761, SB 1, SB 541, SB 315, SB 379, SB 1018, SB 1737, SB 266, SB 1415, SB 57, SB 499, SB 974, SB 1025, SB 1061, SB 1268, SR 302, SR 303, SR 304, SR 305, SB 30, SB 1333, SB 1666, SB 30, SB 1333, SB 1666

Keywords: water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, Texas, Israel, trade, investment, partnership, economic ties, technological innovation, bilateral relations, appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• But in most cases, Mister Chairman, if there is a criminal charge at all, it's a misdemeanor.
• So we go over that the 24 RSF St class.
• is being underreported to re has been underreported is because we can't compel chemical test in misdemeanor
• They they they crunch and a lot of stuff, a lot of numbers and a lot of cases misdemeanor and felony.
• I believe they're grossly underreported again for the reasons that the misdemeanor side, obviously not

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bank said they put a class A misdemeanor in as a placeholder.
• It could be an infraction, could be a different level of misdemeanor, because it all comes down to the
• It could be an infraction, could be a different level of misdemeanor, because it all comes down to the

Bills: HB1329

Keywords: government spending database, public expenditure transparency, open data, government transparency, school district spending, state spending, local government finance, education finance, budget database, expenditure reporting, salary transparency, benefits data, public records, Legislative Management study, North Dakota, school board training, superintendent, principal, business manager, higher education spending

Summary: The division first discussed Senate Bill 1540 and related amendments involving implementation mechanics, procurement exemptions, and an emergency clause. Bank of North Dakota representatives explained that, based on a timeline review with DPI, the project would be very difficult to implement for the 2026-27 school year without exemptions from state purchasing and IT oversight rules and without an emergency clause; they said the normal procurement process could take about 240 days and that a 15-month implementation window would likely push the start to 2027-28 if those changes were not adopted. Members also raised a separate policy question about a criminal penalty placeholder in the bill, and the committee agreed that the sentence was unnecessary and should be removed. The committee deferred means-testing questions and fiscal-note issues to the next morning, with the understanding that the bill would be drafted in a way that made it workable if it advanced. The committee then turned to the water budget bill and reviewed the latest amended version, which included changes to the Water Topics process, Southwest Pipeline line of credit provisions, Red River supply funding, Mouse River project amounts, general water funding, studies on Missouri River intakes and water governance/finance, and a carryover/transfer adjustment. Chris Cattermas of the Department of Water Resources said most of the carryover funds were already obligated, with the largest unobligated amount in flood control. After review, Senator Thomas moved a do-pass recommendation on the bill as amended, the motion was seconded, and the committee approved it unanimously. The chair noted that other bills would be taken up the next morning, including 1013, 1014, and 1540.

Transcript Highlights:

• HANDWRITING ON THE NEW FORM I HAVE TO FILL OUT IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER FORMS IT IS A SECOND-DEGREE MISDEMEANOR
• SECOND-DEGREE MISDEMEANOR AND WE COULD LOSE OUR BODYSHOP LICENSE.
• OF IT IS NOT LEGIBLE ENOUGH OR ACCURATE OR DETAILED ENOUGH IT IS A SECOND-DEGREE MISDEMEANOR AND I CAN
• WE DON'T BELIEVE A MISDEMEANOR IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE HELPING INVESTIGATE LAW-ENFORCEMENT CASES THE
• THOUGH IT WOULD BE COOL TO BE THE FIRST PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO GO INTO SPACE, I MUCH RATHER GET TO CLASS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> andc><00:00:55.840><c> soc><00:00:56.039><c> wec><00:00:56.160><c> doc><00:00:56.359><c>
• c><00:02:30.920><c> noc><00:02:31.920><c> andc><00:02:32.080><c> thec><00:02:32.280><c> moc
• 00.279><c> throughc> we should probably address it through we should probably address it through classes
• 00:13:03.519><c> I'mc><00:13:03.639><c> inc><00:13:03.760><c> favorc><00:13:04.040><c> ofc> classes
• of drugs so I'm I'm in favor of classes of drugs so I'm I'm in favor of this<00:13:04.600><c> Ic><

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:02 HB 446: 00:01:44 HB 456: 00:07:08 Discussion in Opposition to HB 456: 00:15:20 HB 10: 00:26:18 HB 96: 00:36:54 HB 399: 00:56:31 HB 465: 01:03:04, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 446, as amended by committee substitute, which would expand third-degree assault protections to cover judges and justices of the Court of Justice and public transportation drivers. Supporters said the bill responds to violence and threats against judges and would extend protections already given to other public servants. Members generally supported the bill, though several suggested broadening it further to include circuit clerks or all officers of the court. The committee adopted the substitute and favorably passed HB 446 on an 18-0 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 456, a DUI-related cleanup bill sponsored by Representative Patrick Flanery and presented by County Attorney Joe Ross. The bill would add fentanyl, Flexeril, and clopene to the per se DUI list, treat driving on a suspended license as an aggravating circumstance, revise implied-consent notice language, and make changes to ignition interlock rules, including suspension periods and fees. Representative Scott West of the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers testified in opposition, warning that some interlock violations and fees could unfairly extend suspensions and discourage participation, while members and the sponsor said the bill would strengthen DUI enforcement and that non-listed substances could still support DUI charges under other provisions. The committee adopted the substitute and favorably passed HB 456 by a 16-0 vote with one pass. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 10, relating to the rights of real property owners, sponsored by Representatives Maryanne Proctor and Emily Callaway, with testimony from a Pacific Legal Foundation representative and a Boone County Sheriff’s Office staff attorney. The sponsors said the bill is intended to address squatting by defining squatters and improving property-owner remedies, and noted support from sheriffs and realtors. The transcript cuts off before the bill’s full presentation or any committee action on HB 10.

Transcript Highlights:

• all the way up to a class C felony.
• :01:45.079><c> buyc><01:01:45.599><c> fromc><01:01:45.799><c> ac><01:01:45.920><c> misdemeanor<
• /c><01:01:46.520><c> allc><01:01:46.640><c> thec><01:01:46.760><c> wayc> they buy from a misdemeanor
• all the way they buy from a misdemeanor all the way up<01:01:47.000><c> toc><01:01:47.160><c> ac
• ><01:01:47.319><c> classc><01:01:47.640><c> Cc> up to a class C up to a class C felony<01:01:49.640

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Health Committee held its first hearing of 2025, with Chair Greg Takayama and Vice Chair Representative Leoy opening the meeting and outlining housekeeping rules, including a two-minute limit for testifiers and Zoom etiquette. The committee first heard HB 303 on health care preceptors. The Department of Health, Department of Taxation, University of Hawaiʻi, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, and several health care organizations supported the bill, saying the existing preceptor tax credit program has been successful and that expanding eligibility to additional professions and students would help address workforce shortages. In response to questions, the Department of Health said the annual tax credit cap is $1.5 million, about 650 to 670 credits are currently used each year, and the bill applies only to unpaid preceptors. The committee then moved on to HB 441, which would raise cigarette taxes. The Attorney General, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Hawaii Public Health Institute, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and others supported the measure as a way to reduce smoking, especially among youth, and to support tobacco control and cancer-related programs. Opponents, including the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Cigar Association of Hawaii, argued the tax is regressive and unreliable as a revenue source. The Department of Health noted the last cigarette tax increase was in 2011, and one witness urged a larger increase than proposed. No vote was taken on either bill in the portion of the hearing provided. The committee also heard HB 557 on telehealth. The Department of Health supported the bill so long as it did not displace executive budget priorities, and the Hawaii State Health Planning and Development Agency and Hawaii Primary Care Association supported it. HPCA said the bill would conform state insurance law to recent Medicare changes expanding audio-only telehealth coverage beyond mental health services, and it emphasized access for rural residents, kupuna, and people with disabilities. HMSA opposed the bill as written, saying it strayed from the intent of Act 107 and that audio-only telehealth should remain limited because of quality-of-care concerns, though it supported continued access and asked for a different amendment approach. A telehealth provider also testified that payment disparities limit provider expansion and that audio-only access remains important for patients with serious illness. The hearing ended in the excerpt before any committee action or vote on HB 557.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:02:37.440><c> So,c><00:02:38.080><c> you'llc><00:02:38.280><c> seec><00:02:38.400><c> the
• 41.840><c> you'llc><00:02:42.040><c> flipc><00:02:42.360><c> overc><00:02:42.720><c> toc><00:
• ><c> throughc><00:03:18.280><c> 403,c><00:03:19.720><c> therec><00:03:19.920><c> wasc><00:03:
• c><00:03:35.440><c> toc><00:03:35.600><c> thec><00:03:36.239><c> 200c><00:03:36.800><c> gc>
• Cc> under C under C uh<00:23:40.280><c> ifc><00:23:40.560><c> someonec><00:23:41.480><c> isc

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 3 March, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1131, which would revise penalties for procuring prostitution by increasing the misdemeanor fine from $200 to $1,000, increasing the felony fine from $1,000 to $2,000, and adding 100 hours of community service. Representative Ford explained that the bill had been changed from an earlier version that made the first offense a felony. The committee approved the bill after brief discussion. Members then discussed a strike-all for House Bill 1613, a drug trafficking bill that had been amended to add a pill-count threshold for aggravated trafficking and to include language addressing abortion-inducing drugs. The added provisions would make certain conduct involving abortion-inducing drugs a felony punishable by one to ten years and would authorize the Attorney General to seek civil enforcement. Senators raised questions about whether the House and Senate versions were identical, and one member expressed concern about mail-order abortion pills and the lack of medical oversight. Another senator raised a concern about the definition of "clinically diagnosable pregnancy" and ectopic pregnancies. The committee adopted the strike-all and passed the bill. House Bill 525, dealing with sexual battery sentencing, drew the most extended debate. Representative Rimac said the bill was prompted by constituent concerns about what he viewed as lenient sentences in a few cases and would add minimum sentences of five years for a first offense and ten years for a second offense. After discussion, the committee adopted a friendly amendment narrowing the bill by striking language related to age-difference provisions, with members noting that those provisions could affect cases not intended to be covered. Several senators then debated whether mandatory minimums were appropriate, with some arguing the bill was needed to ensure meaningful punishment for sexual battery and others arguing it would remove judicial discretion and respond to a small number of outlier cases. The committee ultimately passed the bill as amended. The committee also considered House Bill 538, which would require political subdivisions to cooperate with immigration detainers and give the Attorney General enforcement authority, but only after adding a reverse repealer. Senators raised concerns about possible sovereign-immunity issues and the breadth of the cooperation language, while others urged narrowing the bill to avoid unintended consequences. The committee adopted the strike-all and passed the bill. At the end of the meeting, the chairman introduced House Bill 1612, a Department of Public Safety restructuring bill, and noted that Commissioner Tindell would present it with a possible conceptual amendment, but that bill was not yet discussed in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> about misdemeanors.
• Um<00:38:04.359><c> I'vec><00:38:05.240><c> attemptedc><00:38:06.000><c> misdemeanorc> Um I've
• attempted misdemeanor Um I've attempted misdemeanor prosecution<00:38:07.359><c> ofc><00:38:07.520>
• c><00:43:27.520><c> toc> misdemeanors and felonies even up to misdemeanors and felonies even up to
• We're talking<00:49:38.120><c> aboutc><00:49:38.760><c> misdemeanorc><00:49:39.320><c> cases,c>

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so they're just going to identify it as a class one, which are the other drugs are in class one.
• I didn't believe that the veterinary drugs, I thought the classes, when we had assigned the class, that
• I thought the classes, when we had assigned the class, that it was for the human consumption of a drug
• And so they're just going to identify it as a class one, which are the other drugs are in class one.
• I thought the classes, when we had assigned the class, that it was for the human consumption of a drug

Summary: The committee heard presentations on domestic security and public safety priorities from Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison and Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Rebel. Sheriff Harrison outlined Florida Sheriffs Association priorities, including reclassifying xylazine as a Schedule I controlled substance with a veterinary-use exemption, expanding enforcement of pretrial release violations beyond domestic violence cases, providing tuition-waiver benefits for sheriff’s office personnel, advancing the Jason Rainer Act to increase penalties for violent offenses against law enforcement, extending sex-offender residency restrictions, improving access to mental-health-related databases, and continuing support for fusion centers and Florida model jail standards. Members asked questions about xylazine’s veterinary use, canine detection, and public records burdens on small agencies; no votes were taken on these items. Chief Rebel focused on the Florida Police Chiefs Association’s role in disaster response, officer training, and wellness. He described the association’s coordination through the state EOC and regional deployments during hurricanes, then emphasized officer suicide and the need for statewide wellness resources, peer support, and accessible behavioral health care for first responders. He also referenced prior PTSD benefits legislation and urged continued support for the PCIS program and other wellness initiatives. Committee members discussed related resources such as dispatcher support, the Restore program at UCF, hyperbaric chamber treatment for PTSD, and canine support organizations. On domestic security funding, Rebel said FPCA does not have a specific bill package but wants to preserve the Domestic Security Oversight Council and regional task forces, protect limited SHISGAP funding for new projects, and shift ongoing successful programs to state funding. He also supported fixing the long-gun carry loophole, continuing the Jason Rainer Act effort, allowing ethical law-enforcement use of AI with human review, addressing monetization of public records and body-camera footage, and maintaining the ability to investigate anonymous complaints. The committee adjourned after discussion; no formal action or votes were recorded.