Transcript Highlights:

• I think you need to get that correct because, I mean, listening at our budget hearing and looking at
• All right, we have a public hearing called. Let me lay some ground rules down for this.
• This will be our third year to hear this bill, and thank you for... year to hear this bill and thank
• Okay, we'll do that after the public hearing. All right, Miss Michael...
• We keep hearing these terms "common sense" and "so simple," but we're not really hearing much consensus

Bills: HB45, HB79, SB79

Keywords: Medicaid, colorectal cancer, screening tests, noninvasive tests, preventive care, off-label, pharmacists, medical treatment, state board of pharmacy, employment protection, sex-based terminology, gender identity, male, female, man, woman, boy, girl, single-sex spaces, women's rights

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you so much. hear from our people that yeah hear from our people that yeah caregiving<00:12:00.240
• I appreciate you hearing this bill today. Mahalo.
• I appreciate you hearing that testimony.
• Tom we are not hearing you. I don't know Tom we are not hearing you.
• by hearing bills. by hearing bills.

Bills: HB2488, HB2456

Keywords: disability, communication access, deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, healthcare, sign language interpreters, auxiliary aids, weight loss, GLP-1 drugs, obesity, Medicaid, healthcare costs, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HP 1972, which would create a nonrefundable family caregiver tax credit, and on a related tax measure to increase the existing dependent care tax credit. Supporters of HP 1972, including AARP, the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, and others, said unpaid caregivers are essential to keeping kūpuna and other loved ones at home and described significant out-of-pocket costs. The Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation raised technical concerns, including the need to avoid overlap with existing credits and to prevent double-dipping. The department said taxpayers can claim credits to the extent allowed, but recommended explicit language barring the same costs from being claimed under more than one credit. No vote was taken in the excerpt, and the chair moved the bill along after questions. The committee then heard HP 1975, which would repeal the sunset on the state rent supplement program for kūpuna. AARP, Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Executive Office on Aging, and others supported making the program permanent, saying it helps low-income older adults avoid eviction and homelessness and allows them to remain in affordable housing. Catholic Charities described clients who were paying unsustainable shares of income for rent before receiving the supplement. Members also shared a constituent example of an elderly retiree who needed the subsidy to stay housed. Written support was noted from additional organizations and individuals. Next, the committee took up HB 1706, which would expand Medicaid prospective payment reimbursement to include mental health services furnished in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics by mental health professionals under supervision. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, and DHS said it appreciated the intent to address workforce shortages and expand training, but cautioned that unlicensed professionals cannot currently bill Medicaid and that a state plan amendment would be needed, with limited precedent for approval. Members asked about the likelihood and timing of federal approval and whether the bill could help rural areas; DHS said approval is uncertain and the process can take time, though it saw possible alignment with the state’s rural health transformation efforts. The committee also discussed HB 546, a three-year health coverage continuity pilot program for people losing Medicaid coverage. DHS, the Attorney General’s office, DCCA, Catholic Charities, the University of Hawaii, and others testified, with DHS warning that federal changes could increase uninsured rates and that the state may need to act quickly. Catholic Charities and others emphasized the risk to Medicaid recipients, including homeless and near-elderly residents, while DHS explained the state’s existing premium assistance program for certain immigrants and compared it to the proposed pilot. The excerpt ends during discussion of that comparison, with no vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, public testimony is now open on House Bill 5606. I see...
• Hearing none, public testimony is now closed.
• Seeing none, hearing none, public testimony is now closed.
• Hearing none, so ordered. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Hearing none. So ordered. The chair lays out House Bill 2757 by Senator Hagan.

Bills: HB123, HB5606, HB549, HB2757, HB4359, HB5381, HB1939, HB123

Keywords: HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention, math intervention, teacher academy, literacy academy, mathematics academy, interventionist academy, K-3 assessments, school readiness, prekindergarten, tutoring grant, parent-directed tutoring

Transcript Highlights:

• These are women that wouldn't get screening.
• Okay, that's our next hearing.
• We want to hear your story. Sorry. Thank you. Of course.
• Newborn screening is powerful.
• I appreciate y'all hearing this bill.

Bills: HB321, HB 1027, HB 1295, HB1782, HB2295, HCR29, HCR56

Keywords: Medicaid, child health, express lane option, income verification, supplemental nutrition assistance, telepharmacy, healthcare access, remote dispensing, rural clinics, pharmacy regulations, health literacy, state health plan, health care, patient outcomes, public health, economic impact, healthcare, breast cancer, cervical cancer, insurance eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, please reserve your questions until we finish hearing from the... entirety of the panel.
• I thought it was important to hear Senator Middleton's bill.
• Members, can you hear me there? Okay.
• If anyone else in the room in this room in Part one can hear me well, you can hear me clearly.
• I think I can hear you. I may, if you'd recognize me, on 1198.

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:

• but I've yet to have actually backed the committee substitute from. 30 We actually have to have the hearing
• Okay, um, Senator, uh, Senator Hancock recommends that the bill be reported. 123 hearing and seeing none
• Hearing and seeing none, the committee stands in recess, subject to call of the chair.

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:

• The comment period for today's agenda items will... ...of this hearing.
• But yet they only have a newspaper that publishes the hearings' notices once a week.
• The chair hears none. The bill is left pending. All right, are you ready? You ready? Others?
• The chair hears none. The bill is left pending.
• Hearing none... The committee stands adjourned, subject to the call of the chair.

Bills: HB3557, HB5578, SB973, SB974, SB2068, SB2073

Keywords: ad valorem tax, property tax, incomplete structure, human occupancy, tax exemption, HB 5578, Texas Tax Code, Section 6.062, appraisal district, county appraisal district, chief appraiser, budget hearing, public notice, notice of hearing, newspaper publication, website notice, social media notice, online newspaper, county government, property appraisal

Transcript Highlights:

• You may hear testimony claiming this bill's requirements are more stringent than requirements in this
• Um, and so I, I hear what you're saying and I agree with what a lot of you're saying.
• Hearing none, the chair recognizes Mr. Tepper to close on the bill. Thank you, Chairman.
• The chair hears none, and the bill is left pending. Members, that concludes today's agenda.
• Hearing none, the committee stands adjourned, subject to the call of the chair.

Bills: HB 279, HB 310, HB 365, HB 391, HB 420, HB 422, HB 638

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair hears none, and the bill is left pending.
• However, tax rate hearing... must be held in person.
• Chair hears none. The bill is left pending.
• An individual can request a hearing after the notice has been provided.
• At the end of today's hearing. Thank you, sir.

Bills: HB279, HB310, HB365, HB391, HB420, HB422, HB638, HB279, HB310

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I hear what you're saying and I I agree with what a lot of you are saying.
• Clearly, he's got a vision. hear what he's trying to accomplish.
• Hearing none the chair recognizes Mr. Tepper to close on the bill. Thank you.
• The chair hears none and the bill is left pending. Members, that concludes today's.
• Hearing none, the committee Stands adjourned subject to the call of the chair. 438 439

Bills: HB279, HB310, HB365, HB391, HB420, HB422, HB638, HB279, HB310

Keywords: HB 279, uranium mining, uranium permit, production area authorization, production zone, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contested case hearing, administrative hearing, groundwater restoration, groundwater baseline, water quality, mining permit, restoration values, natural resources, environmental regulation, in-situ uranium mining, permit amendment, public hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I just want to thank you for hearing this bill.
• never represent that I have it figured out on my own, and someone who intentionally works not just to hear
• that includes we've made investments to take information that was, you know, in multiple different screens
• and put it into one, so you're not having to query this screen or that screen, remember this password
• Some of the additional enhancements that we have that are before the ...in and out of different screens

Bills: S0556, S0794, S1600

Keywords: high school diploma, graduation requirements, physical education credit, performing arts credit, marching band, Special Olympics, students with disabilities, IEP, individual education plan, 504 plan, Florida education, school credits, diploma substitution, ROTC, dance class, State Board of Education, public schools, graduation pathways, adaptive physical education, Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs considered three bills and a confirmation. On SB 1600, the committee adopted a strike-all amendment and a technical amendment that shifted the bill from creating an accreditation process to requiring the Office of Insurance Regulation, DCF, and community-based care lead agencies to study liability insurance coverage and availability in the child welfare sector and report findings to the legislature by January 1, 2027; the bill also included enforcement provisions for failure to provide requested information. Support was noted from child and family advocacy groups, and the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also heard CS for SB 556, which would allow students with disabilities to satisfy a physical education graduation requirement through participation in Special Olympics, if included in the student’s IEP, and would clarify that two years of marching band participation can satisfy both PE and fine arts credit. Special Olympics Florida, families, and other supporters testified in favor, emphasizing flexibility, access, and recognition of rigorous activity. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 794, which requires background screening for employees of residential facilities and day training programs serving people with developmental disabilities and directs a review of waiver support coordination, including quality, consistency, access, competencies, recruitment and retention, caseloads, and geographic gaps in services. An amendment to conform to the House version was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then questioned Secretary Taylor Hatch regarding her confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Senators raised concerns about child welfare system performance, parent notification and rights, CBC funding formulas, managing entities, opioid settlement spending, peer support expansion, and technology/interoperability improvements. Hatch described DCF’s recent data and initiatives, including reductions in out-of-home care entries, youth advisory efforts, missing children recovery operations, expanded behavioral health capacity, and technology upgrades for benefits processing. Public comment included support from family and provider organizations and concerns from a former foster care worker about medical misdiagnosis cases. The committee voted to recommend Hatch’s confirmation favorably, with Chair Grall voting no, and adjourned after allowing Senator Sharief to be recorded as voting in favor of SB 1600.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the things that we have to do with this meeting is a presentation and a public hearing on the
• At this time, we’re normally required, I guess, to have a public hearing on the LIHEAP program, but no
• At this time, we’re normally required, I guess, to have a public hearing on the LIHEAP program, but no
• With that, that concludes our public hearing and presentation on the LIHEAP program.
• this and I for taking the time to hear this and I look<00:47:58.120> forward<00:47:58.480>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:26 Approval of Minutes 00:02:27 LIHEAP Presentation and Public Hearing 00:02:42 Conservation Opportunities in Kentucky 00:29:52, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up a public hearing and presentation on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shannon Hall of the Department for Community Based Services and Rick Baker of Community Action Kentucky explained that LIHEAP is a 100% federally funded block grant that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, avoid utility disconnects, and support weatherization. They outlined the program’s components, eligibility limits, seasonal application periods, and recent participation figures, including tens of thousands of households served through the summer cooling, fall subsidy, winter crisis, and spring subsidy components. They also described weatherization priorities, the partnership with Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the role of Community Action agencies in administering the program statewide. Members asked about Assurance 16, the balance between need and available funding, summer cooling assistance, weatherization measurement, renter versus homeowner participation, and whether federal changes could affect LIHEAP. Hall and Baker said Assurance 16 supports energy-burden reduction through education, case management, and conservation strategies; that funding has generally been sufficient in recent years but crisis funds have sometimes been exhausted quickly in the past; and that summer assistance is primarily electric utility support. They also said weatherization uses return-on-investment testing and that Kentucky still has a large backlog of homes needing service. On federal funding, they said the recently passed federal bill did not directly cut LIHEAP, but future appropriations could still affect it, and any major reduction could leave a gap the state might need to consider filling. The committee approved the minutes and later approved the LIHEAP finding of fact; no members of the public signed up to testify. After concluding LIHEAP, the committee heard a presentation from Heather Jeff of The Nature Conservancy on conservation opportunities in Kentucky. She described the organization’s voluntary land-protection work and highlighted the Cumberland Forest project, a conservation easement on about 55,000 acres in Bell, Knox, and Leslie counties supported in part by a $3.875 million state appropriation. She also reported on mine-land reforestation, elk habitat work, and the rapid allocation of a $2 million appropriation for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. Jeff emphasized the economic value of conservation for tourism, hunting and fishing, agriculture, forestry, bourbon, and flood protection, and said the group is finalizing a Kentucky conservation needs assessment and related feasibility research.

Keywords: HI Senate YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3LyHWmUbsg, 2026-07-02T01:23:03+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Hearing Notice: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/splsession2022c/Hearing_JDC_10-19-22_DEFER.pdf, 912, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Keywords: HI Senate YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdeJK_KQl6Q, 2026-07-02T01:22:44+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/splsession2020a/Hearing%20JDC%2010-01-20.pdf, 912, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47

Bills: SB 128, SB 640, SB 672, SB 904, SB 1141, SB 1263, SB 1525, SB 1528, SB 2041, SB 2306, SB 2308, SB 2357, SB 2446, SB 2695, SB 2857, SB 2891, SB 2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, hearing instruments, licensing, continuing education, patient protection, medical evaluations, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, adversary hearing, protected rights, legal custody, prescription drugs, prior authorization, neurodegenerative diseases, health benefits

Bills: SB 128, SB 640, SB 672, SB 904, SB 1141, SB 1263, SB 1525, SB 1528, SB 2041, SB 2306, SB 2308, SB 2357, SB 2446, SB 2695, SB 2857, SB 2891, SB 2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, hearing instruments, licensing, continuing education, patient protection, medical evaluations, parent-child relationship, Department of Family and Protective Services, adversary hearing, protected rights, legal custody, prescription drugs, prior authorization, neurodegenerative diseases, health benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hear invited and public testimony. on each bill individually and we will break to the floor at
• will close at 2 p.m. this afternoon anyone interested in submitting written testimony during the hearing
• Thank you to Chair Creighton and to all the senators for hearing this important bill.
• Hearing none, the substitute's adopted.
• I'm going to get this stuff passed out real quick, the paper, so that we can actually hear. !

Bills: SB568, SCR5, SB57, SB1447, SB27, SB24

Keywords: special education, funding, individualized education program, visual impairments, accessibility, support services, state education code, SCR 5, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Texas School for the Deaf, TSD, Robert Rives, gymnasium naming, building naming, honorary resolution, commemorative resolution, deaf education, hard of hearing, Gallaudet University, alumni hall of fame

Bills: SB568, SCR5, SB57, SB1447, SB27, SB24

Keywords: special education, funding, individualized education program, visual impairments, accessibility, support services, state education code, SCR 5, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, Texas School for the Deaf, TSD, Robert Rives, gymnasium naming, building naming, honorary resolution, commemorative resolution, deaf education, hard of hearing, Gallaudet University, alumni hall of fame

Bills: HB414, HB786, HB1041, HB1052, HB1118, HB1139, HB1182, HB1185, HB1214, HB1217, HB1231, SR63, SCR27, SB5, SB194, SB415, SB433, SB451, SB462, SB516

Keywords: healthcare, criminal convictions, employment, background checks, prohibited offenses, Medicaid, claim payments, extrapolation, provider audits, medical freedom, discrimination, access, medical intervention, child protection, confidentiality, multidisciplinary teams, child advocacy centers, public records, investigations, hospital

Keywords: HI Senate YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA3hn1VJxMo, 2026-07-02T01:23:12+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Hearing Notice: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/splsession2023b/Hearing_JDC_11-20-23_DEFER_.pdf, 912, senate, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47