Transcript Highlights:

• be, and take that process away from the department, just to make sure that we're getting the most clean
• be, and take that process away from the department, just to make sure that we're getting the most clean
• Senator Brodeur: And so as they're cleaning up vessels, those that have broken apart and they're in pieces
• Of incredible importance is the $20 million dedicated to Biscayne Bay funding and restoration, clean

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27. Budget chairs presented the major spending areas, describing a $114.5 billion overall budget that they said was fiscally responsible and below the prior year’s spending. Highlights included pay increases and retirement adjustments for public safety employees, education funding for K-12, higher education, health and human services, criminal justice, transportation, environmental programs, and agriculture/regulatory agencies. Members then questioned chairs on several items. In education, senators discussed K-12 declining enrollment funding, teacher salary set-asides, private school scholarship spending, mental health funding, preeminence funding for universities, the Hamilton Center at UF, and charter school PICO funding. In health and human services, questions focused on the iBudget waiver waitlist, provider rates, ADAP/HIV funding and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, KidCare, rural health funding, SNAP-related IT and error reduction efforts, and the IDD managed care program. In criminal justice, senators asked about correctional officer pay, prison staffing and infrastructure, air conditioning in prisons, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement recruitment, and court system funding. Environmental and transportation questions covered Florida Forever, water quality, state parks, water projects, housing, elections funding, and emergency management. Several specific actions and explanations were given during debate: the budget includes $8.8 million for state attorney competitive area differentials but no funding for public defender CAD requests; assistant state attorneys will start at $70,000 and assistant public defenders at $65,000; the battery disposal issue was described as a temporary study/preemption approach; and the Senate said the budget does not fund Medicaid expansion, preeminence funding, or the SunBucks Summer EBT state share. Senators also noted that some proposals discussed in committee did not make it into the final budget. The transcript ends with debate statements from members praising the budget process and Chair Hooper, while also expressing concerns about public schools, health care access, affordability, and the lack of funding for certain priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, from our Fund A Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program, the Springfield Water and Sewer
• from</c><00:31:12.280><c> our</c><00:31:12.520><c> Fund</c><00:31:12.960><c> A</c><00:31:13.120><c> Clean
• </c><00:31:13.600><c> Water</c><00:31:13.920><c> State</c> First, from our Fund A Clean Water State First
• , from our Fund A Clean Water State Revolving<00:31:14.760><c> Fund</c><00:31:15.360><c> loan</c><00:

Keywords: 0:00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:00:54 Approval of Minutes 0:01:08 Information Items 0:03:18 Postsecondary Institutions - UK 0:18:10 Finance and Administration Cabinet 0:30:13 KY Infrastructure Authority 0:37:30 Cabinet for Economic Development 0:52:11 Office of Financial Management 0:59:20 Remaining 2026 Mtg Dates 1:00:49 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the April 27 minutes and then received several informational reports, including University of Kentucky medical equipment purchases, UK’s use of $200 million in Ever funds for a public-private partnership, school district debt issuances, UK’s planned use of construction manager-at-risk delivery on five projects, Kentucky Communications Network Authority capital projects under House Bill 6, and 14 UK lease improvements. Members were told the House Bill 6 item was also being discussed in the Information Technology Oversight Committee and could return later if needed. The main action item was University of Kentucky’s request to approve a $600 million public-private partnership for central plants and utility infrastructure tied to the Chandler expansion. UK said it would shift $200 million from previously authorized restricted funds into the P3, leaving the project financed through private equity and nonprofit debt with no UK or Commonwealth debt. UK representatives said the project is necessary to support 24/7 hospital operations, expand and modernize utility systems, improve redundancy and efficiency, and reduce long-term operating risk. Members asked about the source of the availability payments, which UK said would come from UK Healthcare revenues, and the committee approved the P3 agreement unanimously. The committee also approved a UK lease renewal for a 20,000-square-foot College of Medicine annex near the Bowling Green Medical Center. UK said the lease costs $38 per square foot, or $912,000 annually, and supports medical education expansion in the region, including growth from 120 to 160 students over four years. Members voiced support for the local impact, and the lease passed unanimously. Later, the committee approved a Transportation Cabinet aviation project for two medium box hangars at Capital City Airport, funded by $1,153,000 in federal money and $950,000 from the Aviation Economic Development Fund, which is supported by a 6% jet fuel tax with a $1 million annual cap per company. Members asked about the fund balance, the cap, and airport revenue sources, and staff said the airport also receives entitlement and federal infrastructure funds and earns revenue from hangar rent and fuel sales. The committee then approved two Finance and Administration Cabinet pool projects: a roof and skylight replacement at the Libraries and Archives building and exterior repairs at several state buildings. Finally, the committee approved six Kentucky Infrastructure Authority action items after hearing about one loan increase for the Springfield Wastewater Treatment Plant and five grant reallocations tied to Cleaner Water Program and county allocation pool funds. Members asked why one project approved in 2024 was only now increasing, and KIA explained that design, water division review, environmental review, and bidding can take one to two years. KIA also reported additional no-action items, including a Brandenburg water grant split among two projects and 17 Kentucky Waters projects provided for information. The meeting ended with approval of the action items and no further action on the informational grants.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's why we're questioning it, because we're trying to clean that fund up. Thank you, Mr.
• To be clean, Mr. Chairman. I am. I'm trying. Right, all right. Thank you.
• To be clean, Mr. Chairman. I am. I'm trying. Right, all right. Thank you.
• , if this was the case, should we not find it out, do our own investigation as a matter of house cleaning

Bills: HR3 , HR80 , HB4 , HB172 , HB189 , HB623 , HB944 , HB1185 , HB1199 , HB1222 , SB105 , SB125 , SB461

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: housing assistance, state-owned property, cost-burdened, state employees, affordable housing, fiscal audit, higher education, public funds, underrepresented minorities, Board of Regents, Louisiana legislation, constitutional convention, Louisiana constitution, electoral process, government structure, delegate elections, airport authority, fire protection, supplemental pay, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• This seeks to tweak and clean up some things that we found on that bill last year.
• more we talked to people and the more that everybody went through, we made sure that we made this as clean
• more we talked to people and the more that everybody went through, we made sure that we made this as clean
• We're still continuing. made sure that we made this as clean as possible.

Summary: The committee met on March 30 and first took up House Resolution 1, which approves the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s annual State Integrated Coastal Protection Plan for fiscal years 2026-2027. CPRA leaders described the plan as a roughly $1.54 billion coastal investment, with most funds directed to construction and project implementation. They outlined funding sources including GOMESA, BP settlement dollars, state surplus, and new coastal sediment revenues, and reviewed major work across the coast such as marsh creation, barrier island restoration, levees, pump stations, shoreline protection, and nonstructural flood mitigation. Members asked about specific regional concerns, including the Sabine River area, the Chafalaya Basin, Bayou Sorrel, and tidal flooding in inland parishes. The committee heard public support cards and then reported H.R. 1 favorably without objection. The committee then considered House Bill 838, as substituted, dealing with vehicle inspection stickers and related inspection requirements. The bill would repeal inspection requirements for assembled vehicles, adjust inspection rules for commercial and student transportation vehicles, allow out-of-state inspections in some cases, and move toward a QR-code-based system tied to the vehicle identification number. OMV officials said the QR code would contain only the VIN and would be used by law enforcement through existing or upgraded ticketing systems, with the change taking effect January 1, 2027. Members asked about privacy, local law enforcement compatibility, unsafe vehicles, and the annual fee structure. The committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably via substitute. Next, the committee heard House Bill 888, also with amendments, on temporary dealer plates and temporary registration plates. Supporters said the bill cleans up last session’s temporary tag law, increases security features for print-on-demand plates, clarifies placement rules for dealer tags, extends certain temporary tag periods from five to ten days, and delays fee changes until the electronic issuance system is implemented. A question was raised about whether the new plates would be readable by license plate recognition cameras, and the sponsor said that would be checked with State Police. The committee adopted the amendment set and reported the bill favorably as amended. The committee also advanced House Bill 885, which authorizes electronic titles, electronic lien recordation, and electronic signatures for motor vehicle transactions. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill is intended to modernize vehicle sales, reduce duplicate paper signatures, and make the process more secure and efficient, while preserving anti-fraud protections and allowing the OMV to set rules. Members asked whether the process would be mandatory, how fraud would be handled, and how identity would be verified; the sponsor said the system would become mandatory for participating commercial entities once implemented, with security standards and good-faith protections. The committee reported the bill favorably via substitute. Finally, the committee approved House Bill 723, as amended, allowing certain two- and three-wheeled motorcycles and mopeds to proceed through a red light when sensors fail to detect them. The sponsor framed it as a safety measure to avoid riders being stranded at malfunctioning signals and to reduce rear-end collision risk. The committee also took up House Bill 882 on outdoor advertising, which would increase spacing between billboards on state highways from 150 feet to 1,000 feet, with an amendment preserving certain nonconforming signs rebuilt after acts of God. Supporters said the change would reduce billboard clutter and improve aesthetics, while opponents argued it would hurt smaller billboard owners, shift power to larger companies, and override local control. The committee adopted the amendments and continued debate on the bill, with testimony focused on its economic and local-government impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 189, expressing support for the Ohio River Restoration Program Act to advance clean
• Ohio River Restoration Program Act to Ohio River Restoration Program Act to advance<01:13:59.240><c> clean
• </c><01:13:59.600><c> water,</c><01:14:00.160><c> economic</c> advance clean water, economic advance
• clean water, economic development,<01:14:01.440><c> community</c><01:14:02.000><c> stability,</c><01:

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, this cleans up another hole in the law to cover what I'm going to colloquially refer to as I don't
• Well, this cleans up another hole in the law to cover what I'm going to colloquially refer to as I don't
• Well, this cleans up another hole in the law to cover what I'm going to colloquially refer to as blitz
• It's really just a cleanup bill to clean this statute up.

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee met on March 18, 2026, with a quorum present and heard several criminal justice bills. HB 36 by Rep. Butler, as amended, removed Evangeline Parish from the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District and was reported favorably. HB 160 by Rep. Knox increased penalties for domestic violence offenses involving strangulation; the committee adopted an amendment requiring at least one year without probation or suspension, heard strong support from survivors and prosecutors, and reported the bill favorably as amended. HB 552 by Rep. Bryant, handled by Vice Chair LaFleur, clarified DWI law to include impairment beyond alcohol; a technical amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 119 by Rep. Fontenot created and strengthened penalties for AI-generated sexual images, especially involving minors; after amendments, including a new possession offense and a name change to “Act Ivy Daniels,” the bill was reported favorably as amended. HB 171 by Rep. Spell corrected a citation in the personal surety provisions and was reported favorably without opposition. HB 140 by Rep. Cox drew the most debate. The bill lengthened juvenile delinquency filing and adjudication timelines and changed procedures for extensions and dismissals. Prosecutors and law enforcement supported the bill as a practical update to account for modern evidence gathering and case complexity, while public defenders, juvenile advocates, and other opponents argued it would prolong detention, undermine speedy-trial protections, increase costs, and harm children. After extensive testimony and discussion, the committee adopted amendments and reported HB 140 favorably as amended by a roll call vote of 8-3, with Representatives Knox, LaFleur, and Moore voting no. The committee also heard HB 68 by Rep. Schlegel, combined with concepts from Rep. Glorioso’s similar bill, to update disturbing-the-peace law to protect houses of worship from intentional disruption. An amendment clarified definitions of worship spaces and interruptions and increased the mandatory minimum jail time from 15 to 30 days, while enhancing penalties to a felony for more serious conduct such as battery, property damage, or carrying a dangerous weapon during the offense. Supporters framed it as a deterrent and protection for religious liberty, while opponents, including the ACLU, raised First Amendment concerns and asked for tighter language. The transcript cuts off during opposition testimony, and no final vote on HB 68 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 59, third reading of Senate Bill 2999, Senate Draft 1, relating to a clean fuel standard.
• </c><00:15:35.720><c> relating</c><00:15:36.080><c> to</c><00:15:36.200><c> a</c><00:15:36.280><c> clean
• </c> 2999 Senate Draft 1 relating to a clean 2999 Senate Draft 1 relating to a clean fuel<00:15:37.000

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is not just a clean slate as you can see like on line 17.
• So this is not just a clean<00:43:26.720><c> slate</c><00:43:27.200><c> as</c><00:43:27.440><c> you</
• :43:27.760><c> see</c><00:43:28.319><c> like</c><00:43:28.480><c> on</c><00:43:28.720><c> line</c> clean
• slate as you can see like on line clean slate as you can see like on line 17<00:43:29.520><c> there<

Bills: SF0010 , SF0005

Committee: House Labor, Health & Social Services

Keywords: mental health, detention, competency evaluation, treatment, contractual agreements, bankruptcy, hospital, county, healthcare, financial stability, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A clean approach to expanding voting rights to all persons with felony convictions is the most straightforward
• </c><00:12:43.200><c> A</c><00:12:43.440><c> clean</c><00:12:43.760><c> approach</c> support this position
• A clean approach support this position.
• A clean approach to<00:12:44.720><c> expanding</c><00:12:45.200><c> voting</c><00:12:45.519><c> rights

Committee: Senate State & Local Government

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:05 Attendance Roll Call: 00:10 SB 70 Discussion: 00:58 SB 70 Vote: 04:36 SB 80 Discussion: 05:16 SB 80 Vote: 31:45 SB 127 Discussion: 32:30 SB 127 Vote: 39:38 SB 154 Discussion: 41:25 SB 154 Vote: Adjournment: 47:14, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Give us clean hands, loyal hearts to you, and turn our hearts back to you once again.
• </c><00:01:33.200><c> Give</c><00:01:33.360><c> us</c><00:01:33.600><c> clean</c> again.
• Give us clean again. Purify our hearts.
• Give us clean hands,<00:01:35.040><c> loyal</c><00:01:35.520><c> hearts</c><00:01:35.840><c> to</c><00

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

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm not talking cleaning.
• And I'm not talking cleaning.<00:15:13.600><c> Um,</c><00:15:14.079><c> so</c><00:15:14.399><c> not</
• c><00:15:14.639><c> all</c><00:15:14.800><c> parents</c><00:15:15.199><c> are</c> cleaning.
• Um, so not all parents are cleaning.

Bills: HB0111 , HB0112 , HB0122

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: capital construction, state funding, Wyoming, major maintenance, community colleges, task force, legislative services, budget appropriation, unexpended funds, sunset clause, healthcare, rural health, transformation program, funding, incentives, training, access, perpetuity fund, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will help clean up those unfortunate situations.
• bill<00:43:38.240><c> uh</c><00:43:38.400><c> will</c><00:43:38.720><c> help</c><00:43:38.960><c> clean
• </c><00:43:39.200><c> up</c><00:43:39.680><c> those</c> bill uh will help clean up those bill uh will
• help clean up those [snorts]<00:43:40.079><c> unfortunate</c><00:43:40.800><c> situations.

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered SB 2120, which would allow certain state and county employees rehired within one year to transfer accrued vacation and sick leave and extend the break-in-service period for health benefits. Testimony was split: the Department of Human Resources explained current leave payout and pension credit rules and raised concerns about the long transfer window, while labor representatives supported the measure. During decision-making, both committees recommended passage with amendments. The amendments narrowed the bill by changing the break-in-service period to 180 days for leave beginning on or after July 1, 2026, making the benefit transfer voluntary with a 90-day notice deadline, and changing the effective date to January 1, 2077. The recommendations were adopted by vote. The committees also heard SB 2523, an appropriation for the City and County of Honolulu Department of Information Technology to modernize the driver’s license and motor vehicle system. DIT described the current COBOL-based mainframe as decades old, said the project would use a code-share arrangement with Arizona, and estimated a $10 million, two-year conversion and rollout. Members questioned the cost, the city-state funding arrangement, and the feasibility of the project, including whether it would move to a cloud-based system. After testimony, both committees deferred the measure. In the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs portion, SB 2032 on consumer protection for solar sales drew broad support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, the Office of Consumer Protection, the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and others. Testifiers said the bill was needed in response to misleading solar door-to-door sales and urged amendments to clarify “contractual affiliation,” exclude balcony/portable solar devices, and require disclosure of cash and financed prices. The committee then moved on to SB 2079 on vehicle titles, which had one supporter and one opponent but no testimony in person or online, and SB 2241 on zero-emission vehicles, for which the Hawaii State Energy Office submitted written support. The hearing also began discussion of SB 2579 on water-related grants, where agencies said any program would need clearer statutory standards and likely a feasibility study before implementation.

Transcript Highlights:

• under which our marine police and Department of Conservation do have to board vessels, and this just cleans
• do have to board vessels and this just do have to board vessels and this just uh<00:46:57.280><c> cleans
• :58.240><c> up</c><00:46:58.480><c> to</c><00:46:58.720><c> make</c><00:46:58.880><c> sure</c> uh cleans
• the language up to make sure uh cleans the language up to make sure that<00:46:59.280><c> we're</c><

Bills: HB274 , HB287 , HB301 , HB157 , HB254 , HB88 , HB274 , HB287 , HB301 , HB157 , HB254 , HB88

Committee: House Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: Crenshaw County, county board of education, school board, board of education, term limits, term length, elected officials, local constitutional amendment, Alabama Constitution, education governance, local legislation, November 2026 election, ballot measure, constitutional amendment, school board elections, law enforcement, transparency, reporting, public safety, regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• They need clean drinking water and enough water to work the land and grow livestock and crops.
• They need<01:07:29.520><c> clean</c><01:07:30.079><c> drinking</c><01:07:30.559><c> water</c><01:07:31.280
• ><c> and</c><01:07:31.599><c> enough</c> need clean drinking water and enough need clean drinking water

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we want to make sure it's good and clean, with no unintended consequences.
• Uh we want to make sure it's it's good Uh we want to make sure it's it's good and<00:48:03.599><c> clean
• 04.079><c> uh</c><00:48:04.240><c> with</c><00:48:04.480><c> no</c><00:48:04.640><c> unintended</c> and clean
• uh with no unintended and clean uh with no unintended consequences. consequences. consequences.

Bills: HB63 , HB19 , HB80 , HB41 , HB20 , HB60 , HB100 , HB71 , HB91 , HB93 , HB63 , HB19 , HB80 , HB41 , HB20 , HB60 , HB100 , HB71 , HB91 , HB93

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: paternity, child custody, joint custody, parental rights, family law, domestic violence, shared parenting, Ebony Alert, missing youth, public safety, law enforcement, racial equity, human trafficking, victim restitution, civil action, criminal prosecution, labor servitude, sexual servitude, class A felony, class B felony

Transcript Highlights:

• really to Senator Yarbrough, who just has done incredible work getting it to this place to pass it clean
• We have a clean bill. No caps, because you can't put a price on a life.
• discussed before, the amendment is a clarifying amendment, really making some technical changes, cleaning
• up a couple things that need to be cleaned up, but makes no real substantive change.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, a retiring sergeant-at-arms employee, and advocates visiting for a Prader-Willi Syndrome awareness resolution. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators should not plan to be in next week while negotiations continue. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, a citizen-initiative elections bill. Sponsors said it was intended to address petition fraud and protect the integrity of the constitutional amendment process, citing investigations, arrests, and fraudulent petition activity tied to recent initiatives. Opponents argued the bill would make it much harder and more expensive for citizens to place amendments on the ballot, chill volunteer participation, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate interests. After extensive debate, the bill passed 28-10. The Senate then moved through a series of education bills, including measures on Bright Futures, Gold Seal, Florida ABLE, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy, all of which passed unanimously. After a recess, the chamber took up House messages and concurred in amendments to bills on stem cell therapy, student athlete ECGs, cardiac emergency response plans, and school safety. Those measures also passed with broad support, with the school safety bill drawing some questions about the Guardian program and child care facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I was looking at that section two and I think it really is just a matter of cleaning up some of the
• The rental vehicle is going to be clean.
• They keep their car clean.
• and, and, uh, anyone who wants to work on it, but, uh, we'll make sure that we get the definition cleaned

Bills: HB316

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, affordable care act, medical assistance, federal funding

Transcript Highlights:

• If they're already running a clean business, not operating with puppy mills and other sorts of shadowy
• already</c><00:10:27.680><c> running</c><00:10:28.079><c> a</c><00:10:28.240><c> a</c><00:10:28.640><c> clean
• </c> um if they're already running a a clean um if they're already running a a clean business,<00:10:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• over there, and I will have to say, Commissioner Storm, you have come in and you've had to really clean
• it. you have come in and you've had to you have come in and you've had to really<00:23:33.000><c> clean
• 34.279><c> uh</c><00:23:34.559><c> messes</c><00:23:35.559><c> and</c><00:23:35.720><c> I</c> really clean
• up past uh messes and I really clean up past uh messes and I know<00:23:36.000><c> your</c><00:23:36.159

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 01:45 SB 245 Discussion 02:20 SB 245 Roll Call Vote 04:12 SB 112 Discussion 05:25 SB 8 Discussion 25:20, 958, all

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee first approved the minutes from the prior meeting and then took up Senate Bill 245, which would give the legislature more authority to review appointments to the Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission and clarify language about commissioners serving before confirmation. The sponsor said the bill was meant to allow a deeper background review and prevent unconfirmed appointees from voting on budget matters. The bill was adopted with a sub and title amendment, and Senator Boswell explained his yes vote as a way to ensure timely and proper confirmation votes in the future. The committee then discussed Senate Bill 112, concerning fishing on privately owned lakes and ponds. Senator Boswell argued that landowners should be able to fish on their own property without a license and should control fish harvest on private waters, while still requiring permission for others to fish. Commissioner Rich Storm opposed the proposal, saying landowners already may fish on their property, warning that the bill could reduce fishing-license revenue and federal grant support, and noting the department’s work stocking fish, maintaining access, and funding conservation programs. Senator Webb said he was exploring possible compromise language, and other members raised concerns about pay lakes, youth access, and potential abuse of exemptions. Boswell ultimately withdrew the bill voluntarily, and the committee agreed not to vote on it that day. Finally, the committee heard a discussion-only presentation on Senate Bill 8, focused on long-term energy policy and the role of the Public Service Commission. The sponsor said Kentucky needs a broader energy strategy to address growing demand from new industries such as large data centers, grid capacity limits, and the need for expertise and possibly different pay scales to recruit qualified staff. Members responded positively to the discussion, noting the importance of the PSC and the need for continued work on the issue, but no vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cleaning Services, in support. And we have 24 individuals in support.
• support<00:39:21.079><c> M</c><00:39:21.400><c> cut</c><00:39:21.599><c> e</c><00:39:21.760><c> cleaning
• </c><00:39:22.240><c> services</c><00:39:22.880><c> in</c> support M cut e cleaning services in support
• M cut e cleaning services in support<00:39:25.000><c> and</c><00:39:25.160><c> we</c><00:39:25.280><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on February 11, 2025, and heard a series of bills focused on transportation funding and roadway safety. HB 1154 would cap Central Services assessments from the state highway, airport, and harbor funds, with a CPI-based process for additional deductions; the Department of Transportation supported it and the Department of Budget and Finance offered comments. HB 1164 would restore highway revenue bond authorization for DOT capital projects, and HB 1286 would prohibit pedestrians from walking along interstate and certain state highways except for authorized duties; both drew DOT support, with Ulupono Initiative and an individual offering comments or support on HB 1286. HB 1162 would require motorcycle instruction permit applicants, beginning July 1, 2026, to complete an approved basic rider course before becoming eligible, and HB 537 would require helmets and chin straps for all operators and passengers of two-wheel motorized vehicles; both had DOT support, with HB 537 also drawing support from AAA Hawaii and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and opposition from one individual. The committee then took up HB 387, which would expand negligent injury in the first degree to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing current law already covers drunk driving and that the proposal would turn alcohol-caused negligence causing injury into a felony; prosecutors from Honolulu and Hawaiʻi counties and DOT supported it, saying serious injuries short of “substantial bodily injury” are not adequately punished and that circuit court would better handle restitution and related proceedings. Members asked about data on cases that might fit the new felony category, and prosecutors said they did not have exact numbers but could try to provide more information. The committee also heard HB 1084 and the related HB 1387, both of which would lower Hawaiʻi’s per se DUI blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05. Support came from DOT, police departments, the Department of Health, prosecutors, the Governor’s office, MADD Hawaii, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance, AAA Hawaii, and the National Transportation Safety Board, all citing research that lower BAC limits reduce impaired driving and fatalities. The Public Defender opposed the change, and some testimony raised concerns about enforcement and the need for an amendment in HB 1084. Several individuals and advocates gave emotional testimony about crashes and losses tied to impaired driving, while supporters emphasized that a 0.05 standard would save lives and would not harm alcohol sales or the tourism economy. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing reflected in the transcript.