Transcript Highlights:

• This is a B&O tax credit for businesses that make contributions to the equitable access to credit program
• This is a B&O tax credit for businesses that make contributions to the equitable access to credit program
• This is a B&O tax credit for businesses that make contributions to the equitable access to credit program
• The exemption also applies to services to install those pieces of equipment.
• Anybody else want to say a few words of thank you for Ron's service? Commissioner Forsy.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 7, 2025, with quorum present. The commission approved the October 22, 2024 meeting minutes and then received its annual open government refresher from the Attorney General’s office, which reviewed key requirements under the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including record retention, response deadlines, exemptions, and meeting notice rules. Staff then provided a 2025 legislative session update, noting that the legislature passed 23 tax-preference-related bills, with several signed by the governor and others pending. Highlights included bills that extended or repealed certain preferences, added reporting requirements for newspaper and digital content exemptions, authorized JLARC to adjust its work plan when data is unavailable, and created a new exemption for zero-emission buses. The commission approved updates to the 2026 tax preference review schedule, which includes eight preferences in seven reviews, and approved unchanged testimony questions for 2025. The commission also received the 2025 expedited preference review report covering 52 tax preferences, presented as an interactive table drawing on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies. Staff then outlined the process for developing the next 10-year review schedule for 2027-2036, including surveying the legislature, incorporating new and repealed preferences, and considering a possible rolling 10-year schedule. No public comment was registered. The meeting ended with acknowledgments of Ron Buing’s long service on the commission and an announcement that the next meeting would be held August 6, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><04:28:34.479><c> to</c> because they will have access to because they will have access to individual
• </c><06:25:27.360><c> to</c><06:25:27.520><c> open</c> those children have access to open those children
• enroll their child due to those military service service service orders<06:26:46.120><c> thank</c> orders
• children have not been disciplined would be able to access it.
• </c><06:45:12.360><c> access</c><06:45:12.680><c> the</c> money would be able to access the money would

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 662, which would require discussion of abortion procedures and the viewing of certain videos in public school health education. Members argued the bill went too far by naming specific videos and involving the Attorney General in enforcement, and they said curriculum decisions should be left to educators. The committee voted ITL on HB 662 by a unanimous 18-0. The committee then considered HCR 6, a resolution calling for the removal of the superintendent of District 67. Members said the resolution targeted an individual and that the underlying dispute was already in court, so the matter should be left to the legal process. The motion to ITL passed 18-0. Next, HR 9, urging the Department of Education to emphasize STEM education, received broad support as a nonpartisan statement of priorities, and it also passed 18-0. HB 440, concerning educator licensing and shortages in Career and Technical Education, was amended to clarify that the bill applies to initial licensure only. After discussion about whether the amendment was necessary, the committee adopted Amendment 0188 unanimously and then voted OTPA on the bill as amended, 18-0. HB 222, which repealed the requirement for an MOU between charter schools and districts on services for students with disabilities, drew testimony that districts already provide substantial oversight through IEP processes and that the MOU requirement was burdensome and largely unenforced; the committee voted OTP 18-0. The committee then took up HB 719, which would repeal the right of first refusal for charter schools to purchase or lease unused district facilities. Supporters said the existing law had not generated complaints and could impede charter expansion, while opponents said the issue had not proven to be a problem and local control should be preserved. The committee voted ITL 17-1, with one member opposed and no minority report. The chair then postponed HB 184, a study committee bill on school start times, because it was scheduled for the next day, and the committee moved into a work session on bullying-related bills, discussing HB 108, HB 384, and HB 673 without taking final action in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• but also increase access to those most hard to reach, to those equity customers.
• And that goes to what Luana was saying around these services that are really essential to get to the
• employ local low-income youth from Sonoma to Fresno to provide free energy efficiency services to local
• care centers with access to no-cost weatherization upgrades thanks to the funds available through our
• care centers with access to no-cost weatherization upgrades thanks to the funds available through our

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Monies in this fund are used to cover the costs of grant administration and goods and services benefiting
• I've heard from several constituents about affordability for their young children to get access to care
• I've heard from several constituents about affordability for their young children to get access to care
• Because incredibly a huge need, but the cost is one factor in being able to get access. Dr.
• Butts. is one factor in being able to get access. Dr. Botz.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard a series of budget presentations from the Legislative Services Office and agency leaders on higher education and health education programs. Kevin Campbell first reviewed the Office of the State Board of Education budget, noting staffing growth tied to added responsibilities, the end of federal COVID/ARPA funding, a governor-recommended supplemental reversion for the sunsetted Empowering Parents grant, and FY 2027 requests including a Canvas LMS renewal, a risk-manager transfer back to institutions, and a one-time federal AI grant. Jennifer White, OSBE executive director, defended the Canvas contract as a cost-saving centralized arrangement, discussed budget pressure on colleges and universities, and said the board is developing an outcomes-based funding model that would shift emphasis from enrollment to progression, completion, and workforce outcomes while phasing in changes to avoid destabilizing institutions. Members asked about cuts, tuition, private donations, rainy-day funds, the longitudinal data system, CETL Now usage, and whether programs should be evaluated or eliminated based on outcomes. White said the board is still gathering data and expects at least another year before a workable funding proposal is ready, and she emphasized that unearned funds under the new model would be returned to OSBE for targeted intervention rather than simply removed. The committee also discussed risk-management centralization, with White explaining that moving risk managers back to institutions would improve day-to-day efficiency while OSBE retains enterprise risk oversight. The committee then turned to health education programs, beginning with Family Medicine Residencies. Campbell outlined the program’s funding and recent growth, and residency leaders said the 3% holdback affected both ISU-based and hospital-affiliated programs but would not force immediate reductions. They stressed the importance of continued legislative support, noted that residency training helps retain physicians in Idaho, and said the programs rely on a mix of state, federal, and patient-care revenue. Members also raised concerns about clinical placement capacity, rural access, and whether federal rural health funds could help support expansion. Additional presentations covered the Eastern Idaho Medical Residencies and the University of Utah medical program. EIMR leaders said Idaho remains far short of needed psychiatrists, especially child psychiatrists, and that training residents in-state helps keep physicians in Idaho; they also described private hospital support as part of the funding model. For the University of Utah program, Campbell said the state supports both medical students and psychiatry residents, and the program requested funding for three additional child psychiatry residents. Dr. Beth Botz, the training director, attributed rising child psychiatry need to increased stress, social media, COVID-era effects, and broader awareness of mental health issues, and said placing residents in southeast Idaho has already improved access and reduced wait times.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to remind you that even within our armed services. Medics carry small arms.
• So not only is this program shown to be counterproductive, it is duplicative of the services that are
• Municipal courts are committed every single day to ensuring fair and equitable access to justice for
• This mark is easy to identify. and other agencies all have access to the necessary information.
• Our role is limited to the service provision. shelter services, non-residential services, community education

Bills: HB1455 , HB1777 , HB2101 , HB2136 , HB2609 , HB3142 , HB3552 , HB3846 , HB4155 , HB4514 , HB4879 , HB4995 , HB5014 , HB5139 , HB5228 , HB5436 , HCR40

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: mental health, jail diversion, law enforcement, reporting requirements, criminal justice, data collection, criminal justice reform, intellectual disability, mental illness, data reporting, public safety, reporting, substance abuse, sex offender, driver's license, identification, gunshot detection, unreported gunshots, municipal police, crime investigation

Transcript Highlights:

• Would I like every school in the state of Arizona to have access to good, high-quality, robust interoperability
• Because I think that's a wonderful thing about living in Arizona, that every family has access to the
• “Students who demonstrate readiness are identified and given access to advanced mathematics pathways,
• House Bill 2923, amending sections 14-53-12, A.R.S., relating to mental health services.
• This is after 34 years of dedicated service to the state legislature.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, guest introductions, and routine communications from the governor and Senate. Members then moved into multiple Committee of the Whole sessions to consider a large number of Senate bills and later House bills on final reading. Several measures were retained on the calendar, while many others advanced with or without amendments. The House also adopted a group concurrence motion on numerous Senate amendments to House bills and later took up third-reading votes on a series of House bills. Among the main committee actions, SB 1049, SB 1315, SB 1401, SB 1418, and SB 1540 were amended and recommended do pass; SB 1332 and SB 1538 also advanced, while SB 1016, SB 1519, SB 1624, SB 1627, SB 1723, and SB 1725 were retained. Debate centered on school safety and interoperability equipment in SB 1315, housing and zoning issues in SB 1118, and school discipline/bullying transparency in SB 1684. Members also discussed SB 1074 on student discipline notifications, SB 1275 on diversion program wording, and SB 1684 on bullying reporting and school liability, with supporters emphasizing safety, accountability, and clarity and opponents warning about unfunded mandates, litigation, and impacts on public schools. On final reading, the House passed a long list of bills, including HB 2032, HB 2035, HB 2109, HB 2120, HB 2176, HB 2189, HB 2195, HB 2203, HB 2342, HB 2383, HB 2423, HB 2428, HB 2439, HB 2440, HB 2573, HB 2594, HB 2621, HB 2641, HB 2673, HB 2693, HB 2752, HB 2756, HB 2875, HB 2895, HB 2916, HB 2923, HB 2946, and HB 2999, with recorded votes ranging from narrow to unanimous. HB 1118, dealing with municipal zoning and historic properties, failed on the floor after debate over housing policy and charter/public school issues, though a motion to reconsider was later made. The session ended with personal announcements, including recognition of Child Help, a memorial reading for Major General W. Bill Van Dyke, caucus meeting notices, a retirement reception reminder, an anniversary acknowledgment, and a Pride Month statement.

Transcript Highlights:

• , the problem is localities trying to maintain services and raising property taxes to fund those services
• </c><03:06:59.840><c> to</c> singles out communication services to singles out communication services
• have access to that information?
• to have access to have the data deserve to have access to that<03:56:37.560><c> information</c><03:56
• 35:17.680><c> to</c> improve our infrastructure for access to improve our infrastructure for access to

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts. Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs. Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• YOU SENATOR GARCIA AND THANKS TO ALL THE SENATORS FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR BEING HERE.
• ALL THOSE INMATES ARE AND HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE REENTRY CENTERS AS WELL INTENDED AS THAT WAS THE WE
• WHERE ARE WE WITH THOSE THAT WANT ACCESS TO EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES WHETHER IT IS GED AND STILL CAN'T
• THERE IS ENHANCED RECREATIONAL AREAS THEY CAN ACCESS AND GREATER ACCESS TO THOSE PROGRAMS.
• ACCESS TO THOSE PROGRAMS FOR LONG SENTENCES, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• box and have an equal access to the ballot and equal access to vote.
• And so ballot and equal access to vote.
• are being blocked from having equal access to the ballot.
• </c> having an equal access to the ballot. having an equal access to the ballot.
• </c><01:58:09.320><c> the</c> services to be provided, alters the services to be provided, alters the

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> your service to the community. your service to the community.
• harder for people to access these services.
• harder for people to access these services.<00:23:29.360><c> These</c><00:23:29.679><c> reckless</c>
• </c><02:45:34.240><c> to</c> Congress provide lip service to Congress provide lip service to excessive
• That's my job to be accessible to serve.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, we help them with access to education.
• But some of the challenges we have are child care, access to medical care, housing, and schools.
• Yes, and there's access to medical care.
• And so over the years, we have expanded to provide as many services as possible to address all facets
• We were able to utilize the Department of Veteran Services funding to board their animal while they sought

Transcript Highlights:

• , and all students will have access to health care, learning materials, and mental health services.
• All parents in Minnesota deserve to have access to the best educational program for their children.
• Minnesota have access to.
• However, in order to be able to do that, I need to have access to unemployment insurance during the summer
• in the state of Minnesota has access to.

Bills: HF1388

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• electronically accessible to the public.
• </c> electronically accessible to the public. electronically accessible to the public.
• to work services providers to work collaboratively<00:03:08.400><c> and</c><00:03:08.720><c> effectively
• that's accessible electronically to the public.
• > to</c><00:05:13.360><c> the</c> accessible electronically to the to the accessible electronically to

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard and acted on several resolutions related to housing, emergency preparedness, public safety, corrections, transportation, and wildfire mitigation. Measures discussed included HCR 67 on developing a comprehensive strategy for updated building codes; HCR 164 on maintaining publicly accessible hurricane shelter lists; HCR 180 on coordinated homelessness response; HCR 37 on emergency outreach to kupuna; HCR 121 on expanding Kolekole Pass as an emergency exit route; HCR 43 on studying highway patrol and speed cameras; HR 69 on vegetation management and wildfire risk; HCR 133 on supporting a floating dry dock at Pearl Harbor; HCR 153 on reducing the use of private out-of-state prisons; and HTR 23 on the new Oahu Community Correctional Center design and inmate release procedures. Testimony was largely supportive across the agenda. Supporters included state agencies, advocacy groups, and individuals, with some measures drawing comments or suggested amendments. For HCR 69, the Division of Consumer Advocacy, PUC, Hawaiian Electric, Charter Communications, and Life of the Land all supported the measure, though some requested amendments or raised due process concerns. For HCR 121, the Department of Transportation said improvements were planned later in the year to allow emergency access through Kolekole Pass, and public testimony emphasized wildfire, tsunami, and evacuation concerns. For HCR 43, DOT supported the study, and testimony noted possible benefits for enforcement and court efficiency. HCR 37 received strong support from ARP Hawaii, social work students, caregivers, and other community groups focused on kupuna safety. The committees took action on all items. HCR 67, HCR 164, HCR 180, HCR 37, HCR 121, HCR 43, HCR 133, HCR 153, and HTR 23 were all recommended for passage, with some measures passed as is and others with amendments. HCR 69 was amended to add the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Education, and to incorporate suggested amendments from Charter Communications and Hawaiian Telecom. HCR 121 was passed with technical amendments. Votes were recorded in favor on each measure, with some members excused and one no vote noted on HCR 43. The meetings concluded with adjournment after the final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 69,000 providers that deliver services 69,000 providers that deliver services to<00:04:37.919><c
• And then also, we do take into consideration member access to care before we terminate a provider to
• </c> member access to care before we member access to care before we terminate<00:14:29.720><c> a</c>
• c> because</c><00:45:09.240><c> of</c> access the services they need because of access the services they
• have</c><00:46:19.880><c> to</c><00:46:20.000><c> go</c> denied to Service uh they have to go denied

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the Department for Medicaid Services’ program integrity work. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Program Integrity Director Jennifer Dudinsky outlined Kentucky Medicaid’s structure, funding, enrollment, and spending, including FMAP rates, the size of the Medicaid and KCHIP populations, the number of providers, and 2024 expenditures. They also described the managed care and fee-for-service populations, noting that managed care serves most members while fee-for-service is concentrated in long-term care and waiver populations. Most of the discussion focused on fraud, waste, abuse prevention, and provider oversight. The department described its provider enrollment and certification checks, revalidation requirements, site reviews, fingerprinting for some high-risk providers, and termination grounds such as false application information, Medicare actions, unreported ownership changes, and abandonment of a provider number. Members asked about nonprofit ownership reporting, MCO fraud oversight, and how the department tracks unusual CPT code utilization, especially in behavioral health. The department said it uses data analytics, audits, policy review, and collaboration with behavioral health staff to monitor those trends. Dudinsky explained the division’s four branches: provider licensing and certification, audits and compliance, recovery, and third-party liability/estate recovery. She described prepayment and postpayment audits, referrals of credible fraud allegations to the Attorney General, monthly meetings with the AG’s office, and coordination with the Office of Inspector General, CMS, HHS OIG, MCOs, and other partners. She also explained payment suspensions, stand-downs during law enforcement investigations, and recovery efforts for overpayments, provider/member fraud, and third-party liability. The department said its recovery and avoidance efforts produced more than $251 million in savings so far in 2025. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• make it far more accessible to everybody.
• make it far more accessible to everybody.
• make it far more accessible to everybody.
• ><c> to</c> make it far more accessible to make it far more accessible to everybody.<01:12:23.120><c>
• </c> accessible to the public. accessible to the public.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and limited access to.
• and limited access to.
• access access to<00:18:16.320><c> please</c><00:18:16.559><c> vote</c><00:18:16.799><c> against</c><
• When I got out, I tried to seek help from victim services but was denied," end quote.
• When I got out, I tried to seek help from victim services but was denied.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• access to pro bono legal services for low-income immigrants across Hawaii.
• access to pro bono legal services for low-income immigrants across Hawaii.
• access to pro bono legal services for low-income immigrants across Hawaii.
• critical access to pro role provides critical access to pro bono<00:19:54.480><c> legal</c><00:19:54.880
• it is for us to develop these services.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 400, the Judiciary’s biennium budget, and HB 727, a proposal to create a women’s court pilot program. On HB 400, Judiciary officials said the request includes operating funds of about $6.17 million in FY 2026 and $6.25 million in FY 2027, 17 permanent positions and one temporary position, plus $11.9 million for capital improvements. Testifiers from the legal services community, including the Legal Clinic, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Bar Association, supported the budget and emphasized the need for civil legal services and immigration-related legal help. Judge Kim also highlighted Big Island needs, including courthouse design funding and an additional district court judge. HB 727 drew extensive testimony in support from Judiciary officials, treatment court staff, legal and behavioral health organizations, prosecutors, and individuals with lived experience in drug court. Supporters said women in the justice system often face trauma, abuse, addiction, and mental health challenges that are not adequately addressed in existing programs, and argued that a women’s court could improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Judiciary witnesses explained that the proposed program would be a specialty court within the drug court framework, initially focused on the Kona division of the Third Circuit, with possible future expansion to Hilo. A probation officer and a former drug court participant described the benefits of treatment court and the need for women-specific services, including spiritual counseling options. After testimony, the committee recessed briefly for lack of quorum and later returned to vote. HB 400 was passed with amendments, including added amounts in the committee report for civil legal services and immigration-related legal services, and a revised defective date. HB 727 was also passed with amendments, including changes to the purpose section to make the First Circuit women’s court permanent, create a three-year Third Circuit Kona women’s court pilot, and remove the broader expansion language for the time being. The committee adopted both measures by vote, with Senator Chang excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid and shall not apply to waiver services, but those are Medicaid services.
• Medicaid and shall not apply to waiver services, but those are Medicaid services.
• Medicaid and shall not apply to waiver services, but those are Medicaid services.
• ><c> to</c><00:36:36.320><c> substance</c><00:36:36.880><c> use</c> people losing access to substance
• That the premium shall only apply to Medicaid and shall not apply to waiver services.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• staff to support the agency's growth and the services we need to provide efficiently.
• We've had an incredible response to our services.
• We've had an incredible response to our services.
• We've had an incredible response to our services.
• Women need to be able to access this in order to secure sustainable living wages once they return home

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a technical correction to this proposal for accessible space.
• Ken Berry from Accessible Space Inc. to provide more details. Thank you, Mr. Berry, go ahead.
• </c><00:10:04.040><c> this</c> It's a technical correction to this proposal for accessible space.
• Ken Berry from Accessible Space Inc. to provide more details. Thank you, Mr. Berry, go ahead.
• </c><00:11:00.240><c> Space</c><00:11:00.560><c> to</c> 1.15 million for Accessible Space to 1.15 million

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all