Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Inis is third. our insurance for insurance for the our insurance for insurance for the state<
• </c> services for the healthcare coverage for services for the healthcare coverage for the<00:49:26.720
• </c> for a roll call. for a roll call.
• would be possible. but I think that's for maybe for you as but I think that's for maybe for you as the
• for what for the revenue distribution for what for the bienium<01:18:16.880><c> to</c><01:18:17.040>

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for those reasons, I recommend the bill ought to pass, and I hope that you find the same.
• </c> for it's been a long day, hasn't it, for for it's been a long day, hasn't it, for everybody<00:37
• So for those reasons I hope you pass this bill. Thank you. agree with.
• > hope</c><01:15:39.280><c> you</c><01:15:39.520><c> pass</c><01:15:39.840><c> this</c> for those reasons
• I hope you pass this for those reasons I hope you pass this bill.<01:15:40.400><c> Thank</c><01:15:40.560

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For the House and gallery, please rise for prayer. Let's pray. I'm sorry, I'm not English.
• For signatures required.
• “So that is it for the bill itself.
• We know land costs are high. We know construction costs are high.
• We know infrastructure costs are high, and we also know financing costs are high.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise for a comment on the bill. Proceed. Thank you.
• So that is it for the bill itself.
• And for all of those reasons, I think this is a great step towards greater affordability for homeownership
• We know land costs are high. We know construction costs are high.
• We know infrastructure costs are high, and we also know financing costs are high.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the pledge, attendance, and a series of guest introductions and recognitions, including the Dr. of the Day, Korean community guests, students, local officials, and a proclamation honoring the future USS Arizona SSN-803 and the USS Arizona Legacy Foundation. The chamber also announced committee assignments and took up several procedural motions, including reconsideration motions on HB 4027 and HB 2444, both of which were granted and returned to third reading. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider measures on Calendar Numbers One and Two. In Committee of the Whole, HB 4034, dealing with CTE-related issues, was amended and reported do pass after debate over concerns from Tempe Union High School District and EVIT, with supporters saying the bill clarified statute and reduced future disputes. HB 2444 was amended and reported do pass. HB 2992, a pilot program related to sexual abuse prevention, drew opposition over concerns about opt-out instruction, pilot status, and classroom burdens, but it passed Committee of the Whole on a 31-21 division vote after amendments. HB 4027, involving highway naming, was amended and reported do pass despite objections that the amendment still appeared to elevate Charlie Kirk over the existing Ed Pastor designation. On third reading, HB 293 passed 31-22 and HB 2502 passed 37-16. HB 2229, relating to maternal services and funding for pregnancy resource centers, generated extensive debate over abortion-related implications and was defeated 26-27, though a motion to reconsider later succeeded 27-21. HB 2533 failed on reconsideration, while HB 2750 passed 44-9 and HB 2999, a special taxing districts bill tied to housing affordability, passed 32-21 after supporters argued it would lower financing costs and help build more affordable homes. H.C.M. 2009, urging federal action to streamline access to minerals on federal land withdrawals, passed 31-22. The House adjourned until the next day after additional announcements and personal privilege remarks, including a proclamation for Sleep Apnea Awareness Month and a call for more efficient floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for for lift station renovation project. for for lift station renovation project.
• Did you all think this was high for the area?
• Did you all think this was high for the Did you all think this was high for the area? area? area?
• So for say for the Mayfield bond.
• </c> I have Mason County for $2.2 million in improvements at the high school, Stro Elementary School,

Keywords: 0:00:07 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:00:47 Approval of Minutes 0:01:05 Correspondence and Information Items 0:54:15 Lease Rpt from Postsecondary Institutions 0:56:19 Project Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 1:08:46 Lease Rpt from Finance and Administration Cabinet 1:13:00 Rpt from Office of Financial Mgmt - KIA 1:20:00 Office of Financial Management 1:35:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with routine business, including welcoming new committee member Senator Reginald Thomas, approving the minutes, and receiving a correspondence report on several information items. Those items included University of Kentucky research equipment funding, UK capital project funding using federal/private funds, debt issues from McGoffin County and Owen County school districts, lease modifications by the Division of Real Properties, asset preservation project revisions at Eastern Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University, and Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA) information on Kentucky Wired critical infrastructure. The main discussion focused on a dispute over the Kentucky Wired communication shelters, or “huts,” and related payments under KCNA’s agreement with Asellicom/Excel. Brad Kilby of Asellicom testified that KCNA had not paid for the huts, that Asellicom had not received the alleged $8 million or any later payment, and that Asellicom remained the legal owner. Committee members pressed him on whether payment had been received, whether anyone else might have received it, and whether the lawsuit or dispute resolution process clarified the issue. Kilby said no payment had been received and that the matter was part of ongoing litigation. KCNA Executive Director Doug Hendricks and General Counsel Adam Atkins then testified. They said a certified check for $8.5 million was mailed in July, based on the Finance and Administration Cabinet secretary’s determination that $8.5 million was due under the model procurement code, even though KCNA had initially requested about $12 million to cover a worst-case estimate. They said the contract allowed payment in full or in tranches, that the huts were completed and operational, and that KCNA had not received documentation supporting Asellicom’s higher $10.1 million claim. Members expressed frustration over the missing check and the broader implications for Kentucky Wired, and one member requested that the committee obtain all agency requests related to KCNA/Kentucky Wired since inception; the co-chairs said they would look into making that information available. No formal vote was taken on the dispute during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> liberty and justice for all. liberty and justice for all.
• I hope that this puts you all at ease for a couple years.
• </c> ask for an I vote. ask for an I vote.
• </c><02:33:50.479><c> our</c> coverage for for dying for saving our coverage for for dying for saving
• Yet if you work for the state, not for you.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• O Allah, we pray for love and not hate, for peace and not war, for unity and not division.
• Ask for her confirmation. If there are no Ask for her confirmation.
• And so this bill is before the body for that exact reason. So I hope everybody will vote yes.
• have for our state.
• And for those reasons, I would ask for a no vote today. Thank you so much.

Bills: SB5223 , SB6071 , SB5966 , SB6061 , SB6016 , SB5973 , SB5053 , SB5249 , SB5899 , SB6190 , SB5574 , SB5873 , SB5924 , SB6263 , SB6282 , SB5950 , SB6074 , SB6096 , SB5609 , SB5901 , SB5943 , SB5975 , SJM8016 , SB5907 , SB6031 , SB6155 , SB6158 , SB6227 , SB5947 , SB6085 , SB6234 , SB6274 , SB5909 , SB6044 , SB6239 , SB6045 , SB6089 , SB6170 , SB5954 , SB5762 , SB6032 , SB6066 , SB6082 , SB6164 , SB6176 , SB6319 , SB6308 , SB6200 , SB6080 , SJM8014 , SB6177 , SB6052 , SB6182 , SB5828 , SB6335 , SB6017 , SB5470 , SB5990 , SB5046 , SB5387 , SB5637 , SB5647 , SB5839 , SB5888 , SB5962 , SB6018 , SB6037 , SB6047 , SB6078 , SB6130 , SB6147 , SB6151 , SB6197 , SB6220 , SB6256 , SB6311 , SB6343

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development

Summary: The Senate convened with all members present, heard a prayer and pledge, approved the prior day’s journal, and then moved through committee reports and House messages. Several bills were referred to committees, including low-income energy assistance and real property use restrictions. The chamber then took up a series of gubernatorial appointments, confirming Apollonio P. Hernandez to the University of Washington Board of Regents, Violet M. Frolov to the Central Washington University Board of Trustees, and Monica U. to the Washington Student Achievement Council, each after sponsor remarks and roll-call votes. The Senate also recessed briefly for caucuses and later resumed floor action on bills. On final passage, the Senate approved SB 6220 on nonprofit housing property tax exemptions for temporary community use, SB 5947 creating the Washington Health Care Board, ESSB 631 on safe pedestrian passage during construction, ESSB 6066 establishing crash prevention zones, SB 6044 recognizing Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, SB 5899 allowing qualified chiropractors to treat non-human animals under a licensing framework, SB 6151 dedicating environmental program fee accounts, ESSB 6200 allowing renters and mobile home occupants to install portable cooling devices with safeguards, SB 5901 adjusting school construction assistance for on-base schools, and SB 6080 governing federal detention contracts with county and municipal jails. Most of these bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though SB 5947, SB 5924, SB 6200, and SB 6080 drew notable opposition from some senators who raised concerns about cost, scope, safety, or implementation. The Senate also adopted amendments to several measures, including technical or stakeholder-driven changes to SB 5947, ESSB 631, ESSB 6066, SB 5899, and ESSB 6200. SB 5924, expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, passed after a lengthy debate over access to care, professional training, and the role of collaborative drug therapy agreements; supporters framed it as a response to provider shortages, while opponents argued it moved too quickly or needed more study. SB 6080, concerning jail contracts for federal detainees, saw failed amendments seeking an attorney general opinion and a good-faith extension, before passing on a 30-19 vote. The meeting ended with a personal privilege statement marking Lunar New Year and a motion to recess for lunch and caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• An exemption for children with a parent under 21 who has not graduated high school but is specifically
• An exemption for children with a parent under 21 who has not graduated high school but is specifically
• An exemption for children with a parent under 21 who has not graduated high school but is specifically
• An exemption for children with a parent under 21 who has not graduated high school but is specifically
• An exemption for children with a parent under 21 who has not graduated high school but is specifically

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for joining us for this meeting of the Senate Committee on Local Government.
• We also see in ...between local governments to efficiently deliver high-quality outcomes for their residents
• So thank you very much for it. ...of building a business, so thank you very much for the idea and for
• And there is no plan for child care for those families.
• Thank you for hearing the bill today. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here. Patricia Armstrong, the Department of Health. Thank you for being here.
• So I will have to turn over the chair at some point, but I hope to be here for as much of the presentation
• of accreditation for CACs.
• Walker, for your comments.
• And so I would just advocate for my friends that there does seem to be a very high turnover, and it hurts

Summary: The Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee held a panel discussion on Florida’s child protection teams (CPTs), child advocacy centers (CACs), and related state systems. Testimony came from the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health, a local CAC director, the Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers, a CPT medical lead, and a Jacksonville sheriff’s sergeant. Witnesses described how DCF investigations, CPT medical and forensic services, CAC multidisciplinary coordination, and law enforcement work together to assess abuse allegations, provide interviews and exams, and connect children and families to services. Several speakers highlighted telemedicine, co-location, and Jacksonville’s specialized investigative model as examples of stronger coordination. Committee members focused heavily on communication gaps, staffing shortages, and delays in forensic interviews and medical evaluations. Senators asked about implementation of Jordan’s Law, the timing of DCF and law enforcement notifications, whether law enforcement is always included in decisions about forensic interviews, and how quickly children are seen after a report. DCF and DOH representatives said referrals are generally made within 24 hours and that multidisciplinary staffings are used to share information, but law enforcement described cases where interviews were scheduled weeks out or reports arrived late, creating problems for probable cause and safety decisions. Members also raised concerns about turnover among CPIs and CPT staff, caseloads, and the need for more specialty providers. CAC representatives said the model reduces trauma by bringing services together in one place, but noted uneven access across the state, especially in rural areas and in counties without CACs. They said sustainable funding and workforce development are needed to maintain and expand services, and one speaker noted that some CACs have closed due to funding challenges. DCF said there are about 1,500 CPIs statewide and an average active caseload of about 12 per investigator, while CPTs serve roughly 22,000 to 23,000 children annually. The committee did not take any formal vote or action, but members requested follow-up information on staffing numbers, communication practices, CAC locations, and recommendations for statutory or budget changes. The meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• to look for.
• Is that also for youth or is that solely for adults? So that's for age 14 and up.
• for a film school, and $20 million for a STEM Institute.
• The STB recommendation is for a facility for for the wildfire response program at the Forestry Division
• Of having to look for other funding for roads and for water.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• What we do for them, we do for you.
• Well, that's my hope and desire—to have a calendar that is appeasing for you and the people we represent
• I'm thankful for... ...I'm thankful for this piece of legislation and I'm thankful for the opportunity
• for youth.
• Okay, so the question is, as they wait for this trial, does the monitor count for credit for time served

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Increasing opportunities for groundwater recharge permits, capture of high storm flows, and recycled
• But, you know, to hear their passion and their desire for systems that they're looking for, for how they
• Same thing for wastewater.
• , or for cultural resources.
• , or for cultural resources.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first handled several routine actions, including approving three governor’s appointments not required to appear: Anthony Surich as Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency, Craig Snelling J.D. to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and Nicholas Mueller to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission. The committee also approved referral of bills to committees, all by 4-0 votes. It then took up appointments requiring testimony, beginning with Jereen DiAdamo to the State Water Resources Control Board. DiAdamo focused her remarks on safe drinking water, groundwater sustainability, conservation, and Bay-Delta restoration. She said the number of Californians without safe drinking water has fallen from 1.6 million to 800,000 since 2019, credited the SAFER program, technical assistance, and mandatory consolidation authority, and described ongoing work on failing and at-risk systems, domestic well mitigation, SGMA implementation, and the Bay-Delta Plan. Senators pressed her on audit follow-up, measurable goals for reducing the remaining unsafe systems, funding uncertainty, and concerns from environmental and tribal groups that the board has favored water users over ecosystem protections. Supporters from water, agriculture, business, and local agencies praised her collaborative style and consensus-building, while opponents argued she had not done enough to protect the Delta and called for new leadership. The committee ultimately voted 4-0 to advance her appointment to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Sivagunda Gunda for reappointment to the California Energy Commission. He highlighted progress on grid reliability, zero-carbon generation, and planning for California’s energy transition, including transportation fuels, building electrification, and the eventual retirement of Diablo Canyon. Senators questioned him about the future of Kern Energy and small refineries, the state’s transportation fuels plan, fuel imports and costs, and whether California can retire Diablo Canyon by 2030 without harming reliability. Gunda said the state is planning as if Diablo Canyon retires in 2030, that current resource additions make reliability manageable, and that affordability and market coordination remain key issues. The committee then voted 4-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate, and the hearing recessed afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• , very, very high.
• I'd hoped maybe we'd ask for $25 or something, but I'm not even going to ask for that today.
• I hope to have a full hearing if the committee would be up for that, and appreciate it.
• The kids are accounted for because they can't speak up for themselves. is accounted for.
• I am grateful, as always, once again, for this committee's concern for parental rights, for this committee's

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And first, I just want to thank PCC for hosting us, President Gibson, for your remarks.
• Fargo for almost 30 years.
• Thank you for that, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that, Mr. Chair.
• To grab and reach for us.
• So thank you for doing what you can do for all of us.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee held an outcomes review of AB 238, the wildfire mortgage forbearance law, focused on how the law has worked for survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Chair Valencia and Assemblymember Harabedian said the hearing was intended to hear directly from survivors, assess whether the law is being implemented as intended, and identify fixes. Several survivors described losing homes, facing long rebuild timelines, and struggling with insurers, housing costs, and mortgage servicers. Many said they encountered confusion, inconsistent information, requests for financial documentation, lump-sum repayment demands, credit reporting problems, or loan modifications that they viewed as undermining the law’s purpose. Some urged clearer consumer education, a consumer bill of rights, and an extension of forbearance relief; one witness specifically advocated for AB 1847 to extend forbearance to 36 months. DFPI Chief Deputy Commissioner Suzanne Martindale said the department had received about 300 wildfire-related consumer complaints, mostly about mortgage forbearance, and that more than 91% had been resolved in the consumer’s favor. She said the department works with both state-licensed and federally regulated institutions, but its authority is limited when national banks are involved, so it often uses outreach and direct contact with lenders and federal partners to resolve complaints. She also described recurring complaint themes such as difficulty obtaining forbearance, customer-service breakdowns, withholding of insurance funds, and non-interest-bearing impound accounts. Committee members pressed DFPI on which institutions were noncompliant, what enforcement tools were available, and how much data the state could collect and make public. Representatives of the California Bankers Association and California Mortgage Bankers Association said lenders had provided early disaster relief and were working to comply with AB 238, but emphasized that mortgage servicing is constrained by federal law, investor requirements, and secondary-market guidelines. They argued that forbearance is temporary relief, not forgiveness, and warned that extending it without a clear repayment path can create future payment shock or larger debt burdens. They also said many servicers use disaster protocols tied to federal declarations and that clearer communication is needed. In response to committee concerns, the mortgage bankers said they would continue working with the Legislature and federal agencies, but could not promise changes beyond investor and agency rules. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And for those of you who remember, and for many of you who voted for this last session, we allocated
• So thank you for allowing me the indulgence, but I hope you will join me in wishing her congratulations
• And for that, I rise in opposition and I hope all of my colleagues do too. Any further remarks?
• So I'm hoping in the future, while this bill does not directly deal with that, that we look out for those
• So just a little food for thought for the future.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for us to do, uh, more petitions for for us to do, uh, more petitions for assisted<00:52:04.800>
• /c> to clarify it both for us and also for to clarify it both for us and also for anyone<01:30:22.520
• Thank you for bringing it up for hearing, and I hope you vote yes.
• it up for hearing and I for bringing it up for hearing and I hope<02:05:01.760><c> you</c><02:05:01.880
• </c> hope you vote yes. hope you vote yes.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 3123, which would treat free tuition or school-conditioned enrollment at private educational institutions as a conditional gift rather than a contractual obligation unless otherwise agreed in writing. The Office of the Governor supported the bill, and Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools strongly backed it, saying it would protect donor intent, preserve school-ohana relationships, and help maintain tuition assistance and educational access for families. A committee member commented favorably on the unity among school organizations, and there were no objections raised before the committee moved on. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2438, which creates a civil cause of action for interference with constitutional and statutory rights through threats, intimidation, or coercion, with private and government enforcement options and protections for constitutionally protected speech. Testifiers from the Community Alliance on Prisons and a know-your-rights educator supported the measure as a civil rights protection grounded in the Hawaii Constitution. No opposition testimony was presented during the hearing, and the measure appeared to receive general support from those who testified. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 3142, which establishes offenses for dangerous and habitual dangerous intoxication and allows civil protective custody and emergency examination in lieu of arrest in certain cases. The Attorney General, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Health, and Department of Human Services supported the bill as a treatment-oriented diversion tool for people who are dangerously intoxicated and at risk to themselves or the public. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the measure, warning it could expand police discretion, burden emergency rooms, and function as a loss of liberty without sufficient treatment resources, while committee members questioned whether the bill would simply cycle people through emergency rooms and back onto the street. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided; the chair said decision-making would occur at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• But for now, we have two minutes.
• </c> has thanks Dean for for being here and has thanks Dean for for being here and you<00:03:43.920><
• </c><00:03:59.799><c> for</c><00:03:59.959><c> our</c> the role of jabsom is for for our the role of
• </c><00:04:51.600><c> their</c> Hawaii for their Hawaii for their residency<00:04:53.680><c> how</c><
• There's a high interest.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education heard Senate Bill 101, which would require University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine graduates who paid in-state tuition to serve as physicians in Hawaiʻi for at least two years after residency or fellowship, beginning with the class of 2029. The Deputy Attorney General said the bill addressed a matter of statewide concern. JABSOM Dean Sam Shoemaker testified in opposition, arguing the school already uses scholarships, loan repayment, and other incentives, and that the strongest predictor of where physicians practice is where they complete residency; he said the school is working to expand residency slots, neighbor-island training, and class size. Supporters argued the state faces a severe physician shortage and should do more to ensure publicly subsidized students remain in Hawaiʻi. The committee ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including a statewide concern statement, and deferred the measure to July 31, 2025; the vote was adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 19, which creates funds to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program on Maui. University of Hawaiʻi and nursing workforce representatives testified in support, saying there is ample capacity on Maui and strong demand for higher nursing education. Members discussed the broader nursing pathway, including existing associate and bachelor’s programs at UH campuses and the need to improve access for Maui and nearby communities. The measure was moved to decision-making and adopted with amendments and a deferred date. Senate Bill 637, appropriating funds for various University of Hawaiʻi nursing programs, also received support from UH nursing leaders, who said the funding would support the final phase of the West Oʻahu-Manoa collaboration and an online RN-to-BS program. The Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing said its research showed capacity and demand for these programs. The committee recommended amendments to blank out appropriation amounts for the committee report and deferred the measure, then adopted it. The committee also adopted Senate Bill 741, which establishes an external audit committee within the UH Board of Regents, and deferred or amended several other measures, including a wastewater technology pilot program, a coconut rhinoceros beetle response program, and a climate-resilient development appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I have hoped the gentlewoman from Mexico was going to rise to thank us for giving her an opportunity
• </c> Guard for TSA and for these agencies. Guard for TSA and for these agencies.
• I thank the chairman for bringing this up today, and I hope all of my colleagues will support it.
• I would hope for the president of the United States also.
• They look for an for a surprise.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All of that come together, and so thank you for that, and thank you for allowing me to serve you for
• It is permissible for an entity to use these monies for that purpose.
• For rural community, this system didn't work for us.
• For rural community, this system didn't work for us.
• Thank you for asking that question. I was hoping you would ask that, Mr. Chair and Mr.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Keywords: 1182, all