Transcript Highlights:

• the committee to consider the gubernatorial appointment of Layton Lenning of Ammon, Idaho, to the Commission
• Lenning, so you're excited, I can tell, to be on this commission.
• I'm entering my 20th year on the Human Rights Commission, so it's been a pleasure and an honor.
• But being on the Human Rights Commission has been a great experience.
• Monday for Megan Ronk to the Commission on Human Rights.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission on Aging is two people here. Commission on Aging is 46. It's on page 107 and...
• We need a commission on youth. No.
• Moving on to how the commission is staffed: I am the one full-time employee of the commission.
• The full commission meets monthly, as do three commission task forces and two commission subcommittees
• commission members.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the Louisiana Literacy Advisory Commission.
• Commission.
• Usually there's a single focus on these commissions and groups.
• Focus on these commissions and groups.
• Again, acting chairwoman and members of the commission.

Bills: HB28 , HB50 , HB196 , HB268 , HB271 , HB285 , HB316 , HB649 , HB807

Committee: House Education

Keywords: teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board, Louisiana teachers, Department of Education, statutory entities, re-creation, termination date

Transcript Highlights:

• [laughter] Um so the commission is able to submit a Um so the commission is able to submit a statement
• </c> advice that they got from the commission advice that they got from the commission &gt;&gt; again
• </c> received from the commission. received from the commission.
• :17.440><c> the</c> commission, the water commission and the commission, the water commission and the
• </c> Katie Roth with the water commission. Katie Roth with the water commission.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on February 3, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing a two-minute limit and noting that bills would die if the hearing ran past noon. For HB 1848, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development both supported the measure with technical, non-substantive amendments. Testimony focused on requiring early consultation about water availability in district boundary amendment petitions, with water officials explaining that the petitioner should submit a written statement reflecting consultation and that the goal was to identify water constraints earlier in the development process. The Land Use Commission’s representative opposed the bill, arguing that water availability is already addressed through existing environmental review and agency consultation, that the issue had been raised and rejected before, and that the proposal could create unnecessary delay or litigation. The committee then heard HB 1728 on rainwater catchment systems. The Commission on Water Resource Management said it acknowledged the bill’s intent but deferred to counties and other regulatory agencies, including the Department of Health, on regulatory implications. Hawaii Realtors testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing shown. For HB 1652 on storm water management systems, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections created by Act 281 (“Sharkey’s Law”) and increase drowning risk for children by exempting certain water features from safety requirements. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii supported the bill, saying the language clarifies and better balances child safety with practical green stormwater infrastructure, including depth-based limits and exemptions for certain agricultural ponds. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the agricultural pond exemption, saying such ponds are used for irrigation, livestock, and fire control and are generally away from the public. A private testifier, Allison Schaers, opposed the bill and described her daughter’s drowning in a detention basin, arguing that poor maintenance can turn stormwater features into dangerous hazards. The hearing ended without any recorded committee action or vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Film Commission is what this is about.
• That's handled through the Texas Facilities Commission.
• Johnson, Executive Director for the Texas Ethics Commission.
• I'm the Executive Director of the Texas Ethics Commission.
• That's the Texas Historical Commission.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V

Transcript Highlights:

• You say that the um the commission.
• </c> you some examples of joint commissions you some examples of joint commissions where<00:42:07.920
• </c><00:42:15.040><c> it</c> speaker on the pension commission it speaker on the pension commission it
• </c> I serve on the data practice commission. I serve on the data practice commission.
• </c> commission on Metropolitan Government. commission on Metropolitan Government.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Has the commission itself discussed this particular legislation, and has the commission taken a position
• </c><00:54:37.079><c> which</c> state typically uh the commission which state typically uh the commission
• </c> representative at all the commission representative at all the commission meetings<00:57:36.640>
• </c> as of right now right has the commission as of right now right has the commission itself<00:57:40.920
• </c> authorizes the Hawaiian homes commission authorizes the Hawaiian homes commission to<01:15:49.120

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 410, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium operating budget. OHA asked for a modest increase over its base budget, including $1.2 million to fund 13 new full-time positions for a strategy and implementation team tied to its long-term plan, with emphasis on housing, education, health, and economic resilience. OHA also described a broader effort to work directly with executive branch departments to improve outcomes for Native Hawaiians. Testimony was largely supportive, with several individuals speaking in favor and one testifier expressing strong frustration about Native Hawaiian rights and access to resources. The chair noted there were 38 additional written/supporting testimonies and three in opposition. Members asked about OHA’s funding sources and public land trust revenues; OHA said it is not receiving the full 20 percent share, described a public land trust working group and system issues, and said a related bill would seek funding to begin an inventory. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then considered House Bill 304, which would make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and later translated into English. The Judiciary supported the bill, saying it reinforces Hawaiian as an official language and looks to the original language for legislative intent. The Attorney General supported the intent but recommended narrowing the bill with a proviso to avoid ambiguities, limiting it to laws originally drafted in Hawaiian that were not later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Public testimony was generally supportive, though one speaker raised broader sovereignty concerns. Members questioned how many laws would be affected and whether the proposed amendment would undercut the bill; the Attorney General said the amendment was meant to address uncertainty in interpretation. No final action was reported. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 603, which would direct OHA to administer a Native Hawaiian business marketing program to promote Native Hawaiian-owned businesses through marketing and technical assistance. OHA supported the concept, saying a label or branding program could help consumers identify and support Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, but requested that funding be redirected to a working group to study program design, implementation, enforcement, and long-term viability. The chair noted four supportive testimonies had been received, and a member asked OHA to confirm that its programs serve all Hawaiians, not only those eligible for homelands; OHA said it serves all Hawaiians in the state. The transcript ends before any vote or further action on HB 603.

Transcript Highlights:

• time, is set forth those qualifications for being a delegate to a convention and sets forth those procedures

Committee: House General Laws

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• safeguards public health by ensuring that any licensed naturopathic doctor who wishes to perform minor procedures

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard several RS introductions and one House bill. RS 33393, by Sen. Van Orden, would create an audit/transparency process related to residential habilitation and provider rate increases; after clarification that it was the audit piece only, the committee voted to send it to print by voice vote. RS 33404, presented by a University of Idaho law student for Sen. Anthon, would allow pharmacists to seek voluntary dual licensure as naturopathic doctors; it was sent to print. RS 33355, by Sen. Blaylock, would restructure Health and Welfare oversight by eliminating administrative regions, regional directors, the Board of Health and Welfare, and regional behavioral health boards; despite concerns from Sen. Wintrow about losing advisory capacity, it was sent to print. RS 33406 would require hospitals to provide clearer, bundled labor-and-delivery pricing information, and RS 33419 would update newborn screening exemption language to align with existing vaccine exemptions; both were sent to print without opposition. The committee then heard House Bill 555, a rewrite of the Idaho Solid Waste Code, presented by Rep. Weber with testimony from Nate Francisco of the Idaho Solid Waste Association. The bill would move solid waste regulatory authority from health districts to the Department of Environmental Quality, with supporters citing greater expertise, statewide consistency, fewer conflicts of interest, and user-fee funding for DEQ’s added responsibilities. Members asked about impacts on septic systems, public health protections, and federal primacy under RCRA; the presenters said the bill concerns municipal solid waste, preserves public health and safety, and is intended to maintain Idaho’s primacy. The committee voted to send HB 555 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Consent and Procedure come to order. Please call the roll. Chair Pouche. Present. Vice Chair Hovis.

Committee: House Consent and Procedure

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In a minute, at least, uh, suspend to executive session to go through and adopt the rules of procedure

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to begin work on three impeachment petitions: one against Ballard County Jailer Eric Copus, one against family court judge Stephanie Pllo, and one against Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwin. Before moving into executive session, the chair announced that John Blandon would chair any discussion of the Goodwin petition and that the chair would recuse himself from that matter. The chair then read a formal recusal letter into the record, explaining that he was stepping aside from the Goodwin petition because he had received a lawful campaign contribution from the citizen who filed it. He said the recusal was intended to avoid any appearance of impropriety and to preserve public confidence in the impeachment process, while making clear he would continue to preside over the other impeachment matters. The committee then voted to go into executive session to discuss and adopt rules of procedure. The motion was made by Mr. Blandon, seconded by Mrs. Deckard, and approved after roll call. The committee announced it would retire to executive session in room 125.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're working to update our policies and procedures to promote accountability, transparency, and to reflect

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• empowering shelter residents, requiring shelters to post signage about residents' rights, and reporting procedures

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We just want to make sure that that's clear and then some kind of procedure outlined for the courts and

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• the state agency that's making the loan or the grant to the water district to be able to set up a procedure

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government considered a series of pending bills and committee substitutes, with most measures advancing on largely party-line or unanimous votes. Senator Hinojosa explained Senate Bill 427, which would require local governments to be current on annual financial reporting before receiving state loans or grants, with exceptions for disaster declarations and added procedures for water districts. The committee adopted the substitute and reported it to the Senate, then placed it on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also advanced SB 65, SB 241, SB 304, SB 402, SB 413, SB 499, SB 621, SB 850, SB 854, SB 974, SB 15, SB 1023, SB 1024, and SB 1025, with several of those also sent to the local and uncontested calendar. Several bills were briefly explained before votes. SB 304 concerned municipal court jurisdiction over health and safety and nuisance matters. SB 850’s substitute created a uniform 60-day timeline for property tax refund issuance. SB 854’s substitute made multiple changes to local land-use authority, including removing group homes in support of housing, allowing regulation of short-term rentals, preserving HOA and deed restrictions, protecting historic districts, lowering the required residential share in mixed-use projects from 65% to 50%, and limiting new setback, height, and parking restrictions on existing building conversions. SB 413 and SB 850 were reported with committee substitutes in lieu of the filed bills. Most votes were favorable, often unanimous, though SB 241 and SB 621 each had one dissenting vote, SB 1106 was reported with one member present and not voting, and SB 1024 initially had one present-not-voting before Senator West later changed to aye. SB 1106 was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do not pass, while the other measures generally received do-pass recommendations. The committee concluded by recessing subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, that's a policy procedure, that's a different matter, but I think, sort of my question from your

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> specified by this commission. specified by this commission.
• </c><01:03:14.800><c> Senator</c> members of this commission. Senator members of this commission.
• First of all, I'd like to thank the commission, particularly commission staff, for many years and how
• ,<01:12:29.760><c> particularly</c><01:12:30.200><c> commission</c> commission, particularly commission
• </c> the commission for the time to testify. the commission for the time to testify.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and would force the commission to reinstate full revenue decoupling.
• The rate was approved by the commission.
• I mean, this does not require the commission to approve anything crazy.
• Oh, I never served on the commission. I was a staffer at the CPUC.
• That was, again, adopted unanimously by the commission.

Summary: The committee heard several energy and water affordability bills, with extensive testimony on SB 254 by Senator Becker, SB 541 by Senator Becker, SB 453 by Senator Stern, SB 292 by Senator Caballero, and SB 473 by Senator Padilla. SB 254 was presented as a broad utility affordability package addressing short-term climate credits, a Power Fund, tighter scrutiny of rate increases and utility profits, wildfire spending, securitization of future utility costs, and streamlining. Supporters, including TURN and several environmental and public power groups, said it could lower bills and reduce long-term costs; opponents from investor-owned utilities, labor, business, and local government raised concerns about market impacts, insufficient analysis, and the breadth of the bill. The committee approved SB 254 on a 6-3 vote and placed it on call. SB 541 focused on load flexibility and using existing grid capacity more efficiently. Senator Becker described it as a transparency and planning measure to identify cost-effective load shifting and reduce peak demand, while supporters said it could improve resiliency and save money. Several CCAs and utilities opposed the bill in print or unless amended, arguing that some language implied a mandate and that the concept needed more cost-effectiveness analysis; the author said amendments would remove language dividing the state goal among retail suppliers and clarify that the bill is not a procurement mandate. The committee passed SB 541 as amended to Appropriations on a 9-1 vote and left it on call. SB 453 by Senator Stern would return unspent ratepayer-funded microgrid program dollars and was described as a way to keep the lights on and redirect unused funds. It drew support from local government and environmental groups, with PG&E expressing concern about how the bill would affect its ability to spend awarded funds. The committee passed SB 453 as amended to Appropriations on a 12-0 vote. SB 292 by Senator Caballero would require more granular outage and reliability reporting, including census-tract-level data, to better inform resilience planning after PSPS events; utilities opposed unless amended, citing duplicative reporting and regulatory overlap, but the bill passed 12-0 to Appropriations. SB 473 by Senator Padilla would require or expand water utility decoupling to promote conservation and affordability. Supporters, including water utilities, labor, business, and local government groups, argued decoupling stabilizes revenue, supports conservation, and can keep rates lower for low-use customers. The Public Advocates Office opposed, saying prior pilot data showed no conservation benefit and about $1 billion in added costs, and that the CPUC had already rejected similar requests. Committee members questioned the conservation and capital-investment effects of the different rate structures; the author and supporters argued decoupling helps utilities fund infrastructure while allowing lower fixed charges for low-use customers. The transcript ends during that discussion, before a final vote on SB 473 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:12.799><c> to</c> Lonnie Huert for the Commission to Lonnie Huert for the Commission to Promote
• </c> a Hawaii Commissioner on the Commission a Hawaii Commissioner on the Commission to<00:02:05.280>
• Christy Chang, on behalf of the Campaign Spending Commission, said the commission supports the bill but
• /c><00:09:28.959><c> spending</c> the campaign commiss campaign spending the campaign commiss campaign
• <00:09:31.920><c> stated</c><00:09:33.040><c> uh</c> commission um testifier just stated uh commission

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee first considered Governor’s Message 574, confirming Michael Tenoi to continue serving on the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation through June 30, 2028. Several supporters testified, and Tenoi said he valued working with Hawaii and national commissioners and hoped to focus on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data security. The committee recommended advise and consent and adopted the measure, with a photo taken afterward. The committee then heard HB 1519 on campaign contributions, which would require disclosure of compensated officers and immediate family members of certain state contractors and grantees. The Campaign Spending Commission and State Procurement Office supported the bill but asked for clarifying amendments; several advocacy groups supported the measure but urged stronger language, including removing branch-of-government limits and narrowing loopholes. The chair proposed amendments to remove monetary thresholds, limit the bill to paid officers, add appropriations for the Campaign Spending Commission and State Procurement Office, define “officer” more broadly, and note that false-name contributions are already felonies. The committee voted to pass HB 1519 with amendments. HB 2250, the claims against the state bill, drew testimony from the Attorney General and multiple departments in support, but members raised extensive questions about why many claims would be paid from the general fund, how corrective action is being pursued, and the handling of several specific claims, including wrongful imprisonment, a cesspool citation, Department of Corrections deaths, a large special education settlement, a charter school lease dispute, and an outdated check. Because of those outstanding questions, the committee postponed decision-making on HB 2250 until Tuesday, March 24, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 016. Later, the committee also considered Governor’s Message 725, confirming Daniel M. Gluck as an associate judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals; the committee recommended consent and adopted the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill provides that the Public Service Commission may not enforce, originate, establish, change,
• The commission may not enforce, originate, establish, change, or promulgate tariffs, rates, joint rates
• , and the commission may waive this requirement in its discretion.
• The commission may not grant a certificate The commission may not grant a certificate of convenience
• The time frame for the commission to render its decision is reduced.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee met and took up the engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 4012. Counsel explained that the bill shortens several Public Service Commission timelines for certificates of public convenience and necessity, including deadlines for final decisions and final submissions, with different timeframes for smaller water/sewer projects and very large projects. The bill also requires applications to justify the need for a facility, including consideration of alternatives such as advanced transmission technologies, and adds requirements for electric transmission lines of 200 kV or greater, including a showing that costs are commensurate with benefits to West Virginia ratepayers and commitments to provide off-take facilities when requested. Comparable changes were also described for siting certificates, including a reduced decision timeline. After questions and no amendments, the vice chair moved to report the bill to the full Senate without recommendation as to passage, but with a recommendation that it be re-referred to the Energy, Industry and Mining Committee. The committee approved the motion by voice vote. The meeting then adjourned.