Transcript Highlights:

• I think there was about a two-year backlog. Of complaints, at least 1,400 and at least two years.
• The backlog is gone. All right. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. You're done. Thank you very much.
• We've cut down some of the backlog on the... ...cases we've had because we've had direct interaction.
• In addition, the previous session we also had two FTEs added, which have helped alleviate the backlog
• The division does have a backlog of enforcement cases, which includes filing complex litigation at the

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the so-called backlog of cases in our court, which we try very hard to avoid.
• The backlog is decreasing in King County's spirit, but it's still at historic highs.
• Pierce County Sheriff's backlog is around 30 days. King is around 45 days.
• I think what you're asking is that we have an enormous backlog of cases.
• So we are increasing our backlog.

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• where we can attract private sector and public sector and the fields of healthcare, cybersecurity construction
• But also we had to come back last year and get some additional money to do some construction within our
• And so we have done a construction.
• You're sitting there and we had backlog in workload and we have frozen positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• AND SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS THE DIVISION AUTHORIZING CERTAIN USES OR CONSTRUCTION OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN
• THE COST OF THE BACK LOG, PARK MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS INCLUDING A PLAN TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE BACKLOG
• ENSURES THAT THOSE COMPETING FOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS MAY NOT BE PENALIZED FOR THE VOLUME OF CONSTRUCTION
• FROM PENSACOLA, LAKELAND, FORT LAUDERDALE AND MIAMI THERE IS 72 THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED FOR THE DESIGN

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we should think about it as a statewide construct, but we need to think about how do you pay for it
• And for the Commonwealth, that means local investment, jobs in construction and maintenance, revenue
• And for the Commonwealth, that means local investment, jobs and construction and maintenance, revenue
• Under the OBBBA, projects have until July of '26 to commence construction, and then a four-year time
• The other constraint is that once a project does begin construction based on those rules, it has four

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on ways Massachusetts can accelerate solar deployment, lower costs, and preserve reliability as electricity demand rises and federal support for solar and other renewables changes. Chair Creem opened by emphasizing solar’s role in meeting climate mandates and peak demand, citing June heat-wave data showing behind-the-meter solar reduced wholesale prices and saved ratepayers money. Commissioner Elizabeth Mahoney of DOER said Massachusetts has grown from 3 MW of solar in 2008 to 3.5 GW today, highlighted SMART 3.0 as a flexible, evergreen incentive program, and said DOER is working on updated rates, interconnection reforms, flexible interconnection, net crediting, and a petition to the DPU to speed implementation. She also said Massachusetts joined the lawsuit over canceled federal Solar for All funding. Committee members and witnesses discussed several policy changes to speed projects before federal tax credits expire, including automated permitting, remote inspections, faster interconnection, and changes to caps on municipal and regional solar development. Senator Barrett pressed Mahoney on whether the 10 MW municipal cap and regional caps should be lifted, and on whether the state should increase its solar tax credit to offset the loss of the federal residential credit. Mahoney said the municipal cap should be revisited and that interconnection cost allocation and other market issues need to be worked out before lifting broader caps. She also said DOER is open to automated permitting and is already developing a permitting portal under the 2024 climate law. Industry and advocacy witnesses largely supported streamlining measures. Sunrun’s Bronte Payne urged removal of a proposed requirement that all net-metered facilities enroll in SMART, and recommended automated permitting, remote inspections, flexible interconnection, better hosting-capacity information, consumer protections, and continued support for Connected Solutions and virtual power plants. Permit Power’s Hannah Bernbaum and Solar App’s Matthew McAllister argued that smart permitting and remote inspections can significantly reduce soft costs and delays, with McAllister saying Solar App now operates in over 320 jurisdictions and saves about three weeks on average. They said remote inspections are already common and can be done safely with photos, video, and qualified third parties. Community solar and clean energy advocates, including CCSA’s Kate Daniel and Vote Solar’s Lindsay Griffin, supported a 10 GW solar target by 2035, a higher refundable state tax credit for low-income households, interconnection reforms, flexible interconnection, and preserving the option to build outside SMART so projects can retain renewable energy certificates. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members requested follow-up materials and draft language from witnesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to ask you about your patio—how the construction is going on that. Is it underway?
• is going on that is it construction is going on that is it underway<00:13:09.519> have<00:13:
• projects are scheduled for construction projects are scheduled for construction in<00:20:46.400>
• Grants are awarded when estimated construction costs are received and all application information is
• The grant dollars really go to those communities for whom the constructing of that facility would be

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• White, you had mentioned that there was, the Railroad Commission's doing construction. notice and they're
• I want to make sure I understand the committee understands different constructive and active and why
• Constructive notice would be notice of the compliance plan being through the commission's ... ... ...
• Harris County is a land of perpetual construction.
• But, unfortunately, got caught up back in the backlog of bills at the end of last session.

Bills: SB1150, SB763, SB1061, SB1146, SB1198, HB279, HB310

Keywords: concrete plants, environmental regulation, permit process, air quality, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, SB 1061, uranium mining, production area authorization, TCEQ, Water Code, groundwater, groundwater conservation district, restoration table value, restoration values, contested case hearing, Chapter 2001, mineral rights, surface owners, notice requirements, environmental permitting

Transcript Highlights:

• take police officers and put them back on the street, but what it did do is help us go through the backlog
• And so it did a great job of working through that backlog. If you'll switch to the next slide.
• The family had built it, drew a construction permit, and built a balcony attached to the master bedroom
• The boundaries of a structure may extend to a partially enclosed construction.
• Chairman, where it says, "The boundaries of a structure may extend to a partially enclosed construction

Bills: SB100

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're catching up on some of the backlog. We have 30 settlements that are agreed to.
• uh, you all have heard, had to, hear me say that, uh, ever since that time, but I, I want to be constructive
• There's that volume of backlog that was waiting.
• can tell you that in this position, with the kind of challenges that we're facing, with the kind of backlog
• Now, a number of years ago, we had all this backlog of, uh, of sexual assault kits that weren't tested

Transcript Highlights:

• Businesses are waiting for their permits so that they can open, and we have a backlog.
• Office of Pipeline Safety, known as Min Ops, and stakeholders including utilities, excavators, construction

Bills: HF2446

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• And we know where we are with that maintenance backlog, so okay, thank you.
• And we know where we are with that maintenance backlog, so okay, thank you.
• And we know where we are with that maintenance backlog, so okay, thank you.
• And we know where we are with that maintenance backlog, so okay, thank you.
• Seeing none, we'll take a short recess. that maintenance backlog so okay thank that maintenance backlog

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on March 14, 2025, and heard five University of Hawaii-related bills. SB 741 would create an external audit committee for the UH system and Board of Regents; UH and UHPA opposed it, saying existing internal and external audits already provide robust oversight, and the committee later recommended deferring the bill indefinitely as duplicative. SB 1252 SD2 would create a dementia training program for health care providers; the Alzheimer’s Association and other supporters said broader training is needed across the care workforce, while the university discussed using JABSOM as a coordinator. The committee deferred the bill to March 19 for an HD1 reflecting JABSOM’s suggestions and removing the appropriations/FTE language. SB 1502 SD1 would fund faculty positions, student programs, and facilities at UH Manoa and West Oahu for defense-sector workforce development. UH and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii supported the measure, describing a pipeline for students into intelligence, cybersecurity, and related fields, while one individual opposed it as too closely tied to military contracting and urged investment in other sectors instead. The committee amended the bill to remove FTE references and advanced it; the vote to pass with amendments was adopted, with several members voting aye and some excused. SB 1530 would require performance-based allocation of UH general funds and efficiency reporting. UH and the Attorney General’s office raised concerns, saying the bill’s metrics would apply across the entire general fund budget and were not practical as drafted; the committee also noted opposition from the Budget and Finance Department and individuals. SB 1624 SD1 would restrict RIM funds to renewing, improving, or modernizing existing facilities and require annual reports. UH opposed the bill and explained that RIM is a lump-sum approach used to address deferred maintenance and capital needs, with Board of Regents approval and quarterly reporting already in place; the Attorney General suggested constitutional amendments. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 1624, with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, there's been a significant amount of effort by the staff reduced the backlog by 5 to 7 months of
• Is it a vacancy thing because five to seven months of backlog I would think it would need more hands
• uh by 5 to seven reduced the backlog uh by 5 to seven months<01:17:37.520> of<01:17:37.760>
• The U.S. ask is for the actual construction phase of the process. >> I know.
• actual construction phase of the process of<01:22:52.480> the<01:22:52.639> process.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Department of Health presented its supplemental budget requests and described several sources of uncertainty affecting federal funding, including policy changes, shutdown-related disruptions, and shifting appropriations proposals in Congress. Officials said some federal grants had been terminated and then restored, but the department still faces added administrative burden to access funds. They also said trust in public health institutions has declined, and outlined efforts to respond through community engagement, website cleanup, social media, and transparency dashboards. The department highlighted staffing and operations issues, noting a 29.7% vacancy rate and the success of its hiring pilot under Act 291, which has hired 38 candidates with an average 95-day hiring timeline. On the budget side, officials said the supplemental request includes increases in general, special, and revolving funds, and they walked through the first major general fund item for emergency medical services. After discussion, they said the EMS request was reduced from $8 million to $4.5 million to cover collective bargaining increases and keep contracts whole through August 2027. Behavioral health items included the payment crisis center in Ewa, which has connected more than 2,000 people to services, though roughly one-third remain unconnected or return frequently. Members questioned the quality of follow-up data and whether the program is reducing repeat use. The department also discussed state hospital decompression efforts, including use of the behavioral health crisis center, transfers to community hospitals, neighbor-island placements, and direct discharge to long-term care facilities; officials said the hospital is licensed for 292 beds and has seen census pressures rise again. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on Kalaupapa/Kalawao jurisdiction and preservation after patient care ends. Members pressed the department on the lack of a clear statewide plan, the roles of DOH, DNR, and DHHL, and what happens to land, buildings, and the cemetery after the last patient leaves. DOH said the current law is unclear on an end date, that the proposed bill would change the law, and that the landowners’ agreements with the National Park Service and each other will shape the transition. Officials said they would provide more information at a later hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the report, on page 18, we provide two tables that give a sense of the growth in that backlog over
• And now I'm asking you to help us contribute to our backlog.
• Impact, and that is where we need to reduce the backlog and the investigation cycle time.
• I mean, because you don't want to get those kind of mixed up with a huge backlog, so ...endanger people
• I mean, because you don't want to get those kind of mixed up with a huge backlog.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee conducted sunset reviews for the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of Nursing, the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners, and the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants. The Auditor General’s reports praised each board for timely licensing in some areas but identified recurring problems with complaint investigations, public safety oversight, fee analysis, records/documentation, and internal controls. For Pharmacy, the main concerns were weak enforcement of controlled substances prescription monitoring program (CSPMP) requirements and slow complaint resolution; the board said it had implemented some recommendations, was pursuing a new database vendor, and supported legislation to strengthen CSPMP enforcement. For Nursing, the audit found a large and growing backlog of complaints and repeated delays in resolving cases; the executive director said the board was under-resourced and requested 28 additional investigative positions, while nursing stakeholders supported process reforms and cited a bill to improve timelines and fairness. For Occupational Therapy, the audit focused on missing or poorly documented fingerprint clearance card checks, delayed action on a serious criminal-charge disclosure, and other compliance issues; the board said it had accepted and was implementing all recommendations, including new procedures and rulemaking. For Physician Assistants, the audit found weak oversight by the executive director, extensive delays in complaint handling, and an incentive-pay system that did not align with key performance goals; the board said it had already made structural changes, was improving tracking and IT systems, and planned to continue implementing recommendations. After discussion and testimony from board officials, public members, and nursing stakeholders, the committee voted to continue the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy for six years until July 1, 2032, the State Board of Nursing for four years until July 1, 2031, the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners for four years until July 1, 2030, and the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants for a continued term with statutory changes (the transcript includes the board review and related discussion, but the final motion text for the physician assistants board is not fully captured in the excerpt). The votes on the first three continuations were approved by roll call, with members generally supporting continuation while expressing concern about complaint backlogs and the need for reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• mean, that is a huge deal in our eyes, and it showed that our plan worked and is working, and that backlog
• We just have to be patient,' and this showed that our plan is working. is working and that backlog is
• getting is working and that backlog is getting eaten<00:06:52.960> away.
• 00:07:09.919> good Um, we get a lot of complaints since I've been at the department about backlogs
• your district that I wanted you to know about is that our department is doing. department about backlogs

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What that means is that the standards for construction and materials required are constantly changing
• Because I understand there's an argument about applying this to new construction.
• Because I understand there's an argument about applying this to new construction.
• , affecting overall construction costs and housing affordability in California.
• Now one in five new homes constructed in the state are ADUs.

Summary: The committee heard a series of housing and wildfire-recovery bills, with members repeatedly framing the package as a response to the Los Angeles fires and the state’s broader housing affordability crisis. AB 306, by Assembly Member Schultz, would place a six-year moratorium on new residential building-code updates and local code modifications except for health-and-safety emergencies. Supporters argued it would reduce costs and provide certainty for rebuilding and new housing production, while opponents from environmental, clean-energy, and labor groups warned it would freeze beneficial code improvements, delay innovation, and limit local control. Despite those concerns, several members said they would support the bill while seeking amendments, and the committee voted it out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee also approved AB 301, which would require state agencies to follow shot-clock style deadlines for reviewing building permits, and AB 253, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to conduct certain post-entitlement permit reviews if local departments take more than 30 days. Supporters said both bills would reduce delays, lower costs, and speed rebuilding and housing production; some members emphasized that safety reviews must remain intact. AB 301 passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations, and AB 253 passed 8-0 to Local Government. AB 462, by Assembly Member Lowenthal, would exempt accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles County’s coastal zone from coastal development permit requirements, with the goal of speeding ADU construction for disaster recovery and housing supply. Supporters said ADUs are a proven tool and that the bill would help displaced residents and future coastal disaster areas; one member of the public opposed the bill, arguing ADU proliferation can change neighborhood conditions. The committee sent AB 462 to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote. The final bill discussed, AB 299, would let disaster-displaced families stay in hotels, motels, and short-term rentals for more than 30 days without triggering landlord-tenant rules, mirroring an earlier homelessness-related law; the transcript ended as the author began presenting the bill and its support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Backlog of over 5,000 untested rape kits.
• There was state and federal funding that was received to address the backlog.
• State and federal funding that was received to address the backlog.
• And that's part of the backlog as well.
• I was a little bit startled to hear that we've got 1,500 backlog again.

Bills: SB246, SB146, SB300, SB301, SB309, SM17

Keywords: massage therapy, licensure, health and safety standards, continuing education, establishment licensing, civil rights, sovereign immunity, damages, public body, lawsuit limitations, legal notice, child welfare, computing infrastructure, data management, Department of Health, appropriation, foster care, Indian children, cultural competency, training services

Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of that is our construction a lot of that is our construction program<00:09:56.839> and
• that can be uh deployed by construction that can be uh deployed by construction teams<00:26:11.520
• I I know we do have a uh growing backlog I I know we do have a uh growing backlog of<01:55:33.599
• it supports some of the um construction it supports some of the um construction work<02:21:27.439
• <02:34:30.800> repairing class 400 construction repairing class 400 construction repairing

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met with New Hampshire DOT Commissioner Bill Cass and Finance Director Danielle Shandra to review the agency’s FY 2026 budget. Cass gave a high-level overview of DOT’s mission, organization, funding structure, and staffing trends, noting the agency has about 650 employees across five divisions. He said the Governor’s recommended FY 2026 budget totals $95.99 million, essentially flat from FY 2025, with funding primarily from Turnpike funds, Highway funds, federal sources, and a small General Fund share for non-highway units. Members asked about how Turnpike and Highway funds are treated in state accounting, and DOT explained that while they are enterprise funds restricted to their purposes, they are considered unrestricted from the statewide perspective and are appropriated through the budget process. A major topic was staffing and budget targets. DOT said its full-time staffing level has remained relatively flat since 2014 even as vehicle miles traveled increased and vacancies rose. To meet budget targets, the department unfunded seven permanent positions and nine temporary full-time positions, and later noted additional reductions in Finance, including the elimination of two full-time positions, reduced print shop equipment purchases, and deeper cuts to overtime, temporary help, equipment, and supplies in FY 2027. DOT also explained that it shifted funding for one unmanned aerial system position from General Funds to Highway Funds, saying the change was workable because the position supports highway-related work and federal-aid-eligible activities. Members asked for clarification on the state transit operating match, and DOT explained that the Legislature had previously provided about $1.8 million annually in General Funds to help local transit agencies meet federal match requirements, but that funding was not included in this budget. DOT said that could reduce the ability to draw down some federal transit funds, though the impact may not be immediate because those funds can be used over several years. The department also described its unmanned aerial system program, saying it has been used for about five years for mapping, survey work, construction oversight, and storm damage assessment, and that it now has about five drones and two full-time positions supporting the program. DOT said it is expanding cross-training so more employees can operate drones without adding positions. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> address MnChoices long-term care address MnChoices long-term care assessment<00:19:16.320> backlogs
• and establishes a assessment backlogs and establishes a MnChoices<00:19:19.080> redesign<00:19
• Caps on services, moratoria, and artificially constructed criteria do not change the underlying needs
• Counties have been working with the Department of Human Services to address current backlogs and stand
• and stand ready to participate backlogs and stand ready to participate in<01:06:57.440> another

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• bill does, folks came to me, there's 1,400 I believe... don't hold me to that number, because of a backlog
• A backlog of when a homeowner or apartment owner goes through the process of having someone evicted.
• as he chooses, to deputize and pull from the police department certified officers to help with the backlog
• we're talking about officers working on their off time to get the training to go out and get this backlog

Bills: HB343, HB345

Keywords: retirement system, mandatory membership, Jefferson County, employee contributions, civil service, special reserve deputy, emergency writ condition, Sheriff, law enforcement, property seizure, Alabama Peace Officers' Standards, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This slide highlights where TSP is currently at in our investigation backlog.
• This slide highlights where TSP is currently at in our investigation backlog. is currently at in our
• investigation backlog.
• TSP, because of the place that we've been in for years with our backlog of cases, we might not have an
• We have had a historical backlog of cases. We have had a historical backlog of cases for some time.

Keywords: 907, all