Transcript Highlights:

• resource is significant for association with historic events, with historic people, if it's of architectural
• resource is significant for association with historic events, with historic people, if it's of architectural
• associated with an important event, an important person, it's a characteristic of a significant architectural
• And then there's a Chapter 46 that's referenced, which is community noise control, and I haven't delved
• and I haven't community noise control and I haven't delved<02:09:37.960> into<02:09:38.199>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several housing, land use, and preservation bills. HB 1008 HD2 would require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to complete historic preservation determinations for state affordable housing projects within 90 days and create sensitivity-based review pathways. HHFDC, DLNR’s State Historic Preservation Division, and written testimony from DBEDT supported the bill as an expedited process for projects unlikely to affect significant historic resources. Members asked how the bill would define significant versus non-significant historic properties, how it would interact with Kapakai analysis, and whether burial councils had been consulted; SHPD said the bill would not replace Kapakai review and that burial councils had not been included. Written support also came from OHA, Hawaii Realtors, and the Maui Chamber of Commerce. HB 1093 would clarify the Hawaii Public Housing Authority’s powers relating to housing projects. HPHA supported the measure, saying it would align definitions with prior law and help deconcentrate poverty by allowing mixed-income rebuilding. The director also said the bill was increasingly urgent because of reported federal HUD priorities that could affect public housing and Section 8 funding. HB 1096 HD1 would repeal state low-income housing preferences for disabled veterans and spouses of deceased veterans, with HPHA saying federal veteran programs such as VASH are a better mechanism and that the state preference has not been used in years. HB 1411 would allow HHFDC projects to give sale or lease preferences to applicants who live or work within five miles of a project; HHFDC and the Hawaii Chapter of NAIOP supported it as a way to keep residents connected to their communities, while members raised constitutional concerns about broader local-preference policies. The committee also heard HB 367 HD1, which would create county permit exemptions for certain agricultural and maintenance activities. Written testimony included opposition from the Department of Planning and Permitting and support from the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Grassroot Institute, and others. A public testifier opposed the bill, arguing that permit exemptions could worsen safety and compliance problems. Finally, HB 826 HD1 would allow county planning commissions, by special permit, to authorize residential housing in agricultural districts for agricultural workforce housing, long-term rental, or fee simple ownership under certain conditions. HHFDC supported it as a faster alternative to lengthy state land-use redistricting, but the Department of Agriculture, Land Use Commission, and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development raised concerns about food production impacts, due process, service provision, jurisdictional conflicts, and the use of special permits for what could amount to district boundary changes. Public testimony was mixed, with some support and some opposition. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Beyond his many contributions to architecture, Price played a pivotal role in shaping Hawaii's arts and
• Beyond his many contributions to architecture,<00:10:22.800> Price<00:10:23.360> played
• <00:10:23.760> a<00:10:24.000> pivotal architecture, Price played a pivotal architecture

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts held an informational briefing on May 22 with the Hawaii Arts Alliance, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), and the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission. Chair Capella said the purpose was to better understand the organizations’ work and strengthen relationships ahead of the interim and next session. The Hawaii Arts Alliance, led by Executive Director Gay Humphrey, described its mission to enrich Hawaii’s cultural fabric through arts education, advocacy, and community engagement, and highlighted its history tied to Alfred Price, including the creation of Hawaii’s 1% for art law and the alliance’s 45 years of service. The alliance outlined its current work, including administering SFCA-funded statewide programs such as Artist in the Schools and the new folk and traditional arts program, with 34 teaching partners serving more than 100 public and charter schools and Kumu Hawaii as the single grantee for traditional weaving instruction. It also discussed Arts First Partners, the incubation of Arts at Mark’s Garage, expanded advocacy efforts supported by Creative West grants, and new multi-year philanthropic support from the Hawaii Community Foundation and Atherton Family Foundation. The alliance said it is launching statewide listening sessions and an arts advocacy training program, and noted that most SFCA funds pass through the alliance to program partners, with the organization retaining 10 to 14 percent for administration. SFCA Executive Director Karen Ewald then described the agency’s role as the state arts agency, its strategic planning process, and its main programs, including Art in Public Places, the Capital Modern museum, Artist in the Schools, apprentice mentoring grants, community arts grants, the Hawaii State Poet Laureate program, a statewide cultural extension program, and the Hawaii Open Arts Program. She said SFCA has 21 staff with one vacancy, is awaiting a federal NEA partnership agreement, and is considering new revenue streams such as a cultural trust. She also noted that the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission was recently attached to SFCA, which has improved coordination and allows SFCA to provide funding for conservation and upkeep of the King Kamehameha statues statewide. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only, with questions deferred until after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• That makes a minimum-age account restriction not only an access-control policy for youth, but one we
• over their experience online, and having that control be meaningful.
• In a more recent California-based randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 900 Los Angeles-based Black
• At the same time, the community-controlled LGBTIQ+ sector worked to mitigate impacts by development.
• In control studies that I think I'm going to, and Dr.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of social media on LGBTQ-plus youth, focusing on benefits, risks, and possible safeguards. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Assembly Member Ward opened by noting that social media can be a lifeline for LGBTQ-plus youth seeking identity, community, and support, but also exposes them to cyberbullying, hate speech, exploitation, misinformation, and addictive design. They framed the hearing as a way to inform future policy without relitigating prior bills, and emphasized the need for a balanced approach that reduces harm while preserving access to affirming resources. The first panel featured lived-experience testimony from Madi Roby of the Alliance for Trans Youth Rights, Shea Gardner of LGBT Tech, and Casey Pick of the Trevor Project. Roby described how social media helped her understand her trans identity, find community, learn safety information, and access crisis support through the Trevor Project, while also exposing her to harassment and threats. Gardner argued that lawmakers should regulate harms more precisely rather than impose broad access restrictions, warning that age-gating and account bans could exclude vulnerable youth and adults who rely on pseudonymity, while supporting privacy-preserving protections, targeted platform accountability, and digital literacy. Pick testified that LGBTQ-plus youth are more than three times as likely to attempt suicide as peers, cited Trevor Project research showing social media is both positive and negative for most youth, and said supportive online spaces can lower suicide risk and anxiety; she also described Trevor Space as a moderated, non-addictive platform with forums, direct messaging, and strong community norms. Committee members then questioned the panel about algorithmic feeds, addictive design, age verification, and whether platforms should be required to provide safer defaults and better moderation. Several members distinguished between personalized feeds and addictive or incendiary engagement loops, and discussed the risk that age-verification systems could require sensitive data or restrict access to helpful content. Witnesses repeatedly said the problem is not online community itself but platform design choices and weak enforcement, and they urged more precise regulation of harmful features rather than exclusionary bans. The committee then moved on to panel two, which was introduced as a discussion of LGBTQ-plus-specific online resources and research on LGBTQ-plus youth and social media.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:36:20.880> uh<02:36:21.120> consistency<02:36:21.840> throughout architectural
• uh consistency throughout architectural uh consistency throughout a<02:36:22.680> neighborhood.
• There's no option to control how the community operates. And that has not been my experience.
• <02:41:25.280> And control how the community operates.
• And control how the community operates.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought we were talking about having control of another. >> I'm just telling you what my notes say.
• Auburn's campus was architecture. The lights were on in the architecture building 24/7.
• And when it comes to the safety of young people who have no control of themselves until they are 19,
• who<01:49:02.159> they<01:49:02.480> have<01:49:02.800> no<01:49:03.119> control
• <01:49:03.440> of<01:49:03.679> themselves who they have no control of themselves who

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, excused absent senators, and adopted the previous day’s journal. The chamber received several House messages referring local bills to the Committee on Local Legislation, including measures affecting Lawrence, Clayurn, Limestone, Shelby, and Alabaster. The Senate also recognized guests in the gallery, including local leaders, law enforcement officials, and a Jackson County Junior Leadership group. During personal privilege remarks, Senator Figures offered a tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., highlighting his civil rights legacy, political influence, and impact on Black voter participation and representation; the Senate observed a moment of silence. Senator Smitherman also thanked her for the remarks. The Senate then adopted Senate Joint Resolution 47, mourning the death and celebrating the life of John J. Guthrie Jr., and Senate Joint Resolution 48, commending Tommy Jax for emergency actions to help a sick child. The Senate considered numerous confirmations from the Committee on Confirmations, all receiving favorable reports and being confirmed by unanimous or near-unanimous roll calls, including Walter Bracie and Eric Bone to the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, Morgan Garner and Susie Beal to the Alabama Electronic Security Board of Licensure, and Joe Brown, Brian Williams, James Spears, Charles Hedrickk, and Kathy Pierce to the Alabama Board of Polygraph Examiners. Committee reports also advanced several bills, including local legislation and county/municipal government measures. On the floor, the Senate adopted a special order calendar and passed or adopted several bills: SB 239 on child custody jurisdiction enforcement, SB 190 on a sales tax exemption for an ocular eye service company, SB 252 on Governor’s Mansion Authority employees and leave benefits, SB 170 on health savings account regulatory coordination, SB 210 on the chiropractic board, SB 242 on commercial driver’s licenses, and SB 70 on crimes and offenses. SB 247 on insurance was carried over at the sponsor’s request for further work, and SB 83 on guardianships and conservatorships was taken up with discussion of a committee amendment to clarify removal of proceedings from probate to circuit court and notice requirements; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• In that plan, it does dictate how a first responder can enter the vehicle and take over manual control
• And other times they were able to speak through the speakers in the car to the take over man to control
• It takes years to gather information within the company's control.
• Should the company representative be unable to remotely reposition the vehicle, control of the vehicle
• The vehicle is actually being controlled from a remote location.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one of the means of control of a colonized people was the introduction of alcohol.
• It was introduced as a means of control.
• The design is complete; the architectural design is complete, but we are still looking for funding for
• For some of you who may not be familiar, it was established in 1968 as the first tribally controlled
• college. 1968 as the first tribally controlled college.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are the architecture<00:46:30.640> of<00:46:30.800> our<00:46:30.960> family.
• <00:46:31.599> I<00:46:31.920> urge<00:46:32.000> you architecture of our family
• I urge you architecture of our family.
• individuals who are living in assisted living and also other assisted living settings in various places controlled

Bills: HF3174, HF3800

Keywords: background study, disqualification, set-aside, permanent disqualification, Office of Administrative Hearings, chief judge, human services licensing, substance use disorder treatment, SUD treatment, chemical dependency, recovery, rehabilitation, abstinence, foster care, child foster care, vulnerable adults, caregiver background check, license holder, direct contact, risk of harm

Transcript Highlights:

• They're here in the gallery for Architecture Advocacy Day.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, journal approval, and multiple guest introductions, including a pastor, ACLU of Arizona lobby day participants, an architecture advocacy group, a doctor recognized for sleep apnea and dementia care work, and former Senator Frank Antinori. Senator Ortiz also read a proclamation declaring March as Sleep Apnea Awareness Month in Arizona, citing the health and public safety impacts of obstructive sleep apnea and disparities in diagnosis and treatment. The chamber then handled calendar and procedural business, including House messages, committee assignments, and a series of third-reading votes. Several bills passed on party-line or near party-line votes, including SB 1011 on county medical examiners, SB 1017 on health professionals, SB 1170 on drug offenses, SB 1173 on health care institutions, SB 1234 on juvenile court, SB 1275 on criminal diversion programs, SB 1332 on a feasibility study for light rail expansion, SB 1544 on probation, SB 1557 on health professionals, and SB 1585 on sex offender monitoring. Members offered explanations of vote on several measures, with opponents raising concerns about mandatory minimums, juvenile court changes, transit delays, and the need for broader criminal justice or transportation studies. The Senate also considered SCR 1022, a proposed constitutional amendment to change legislative member districts and expand the House. Supporters argued it would improve representation and reduce campaign pressures, while opponents said the idea should first be studied more thoroughly. The resolution passed 16-10. Additional transportation-related bills, including SB 1273 and SB 1274, also passed on reconsideration. The session ended with committee announcements for the next day and adjournment until Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• But yeah, the external architectural features are really quite consistent with the new... why can't I

Summary: The Statute Law Committee met on December 10, 2025, approved the June 10, 2025 minutes, and received a publications update noting that the 2025 RCW volumes and session laws are available, with sales continuing a gradual decline but generally tracking prior years. The committee also heard that the office remains fully staffed and financially stable, with projected year-end funds remaining and a healthy publications fund balance. A major discussion centered on a proposal from retired Judge Ann Levinson to make the code more reader-friendly when chapters are repealed and recodified, especially after the civil protection orders reform in E2 SHB 1320, which consolidated multiple protection order laws into new chapter 7.105 RCW. Levinson argued that current disposition-table language such as “repealed by” can be confusing to the public and may appear to signal legislative disapproval, and suggested adding a simple pointer to the new chapter. Code revisers explained their current practice, the limits of their editorial discretion, and the technical and policy concerns involved, while expressing support for some form of “see also” guidance and noting that hyperlinking session-law citations in disposition tables may also help readers find the new law. The committee also discussed office operations, including a planned move from the modular offices back into the rebuilt Pritchard building, expected in late 2026, with improved space, storage, and enclosed offices. Staff proposed changing regular Monday-through-Thursday office hours from 8 a.m.–8 p.m. to 8 a.m.–7 p.m., with exceptions for active work, client requests, and floor action; the proposal was supported by a chart showing that many evenings have no work after 7 p.m., though late nights would still occur during busy periods. The meeting ended with acknowledgments of retiring staff, including editor Barb Sage after 37 years of service, and a farewell to Vice Chair Sam Thompson, whose successor had just been selected.

Transcript Highlights:

• science with 27 27% of total funded certifications, transportation distribution, logistics with 20% architecture

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1980 addresses this problem by simply applying current child support enforcement architecture to the

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1980 addresses this problem by simply applying current child support enforcement architecture to the

Bills: SB387, SB1335, HB1671, SB1760, SB1839, SB1923, HB1928, HB4942, HB5628, HB5642, HB1980

Keywords: judicial bond, guardianship, probate law, county judge, statutory county court, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, retroactive child support, parentage, genetic testing, family code, child's conception, incapacitated persons, court proceedings, guardianship fees, estate management, probate

Transcript Highlights:

• You were seeing orthodontia inappropriate utilization going out of control.
• You were seeing orthodontia inappropriate utilization going out of control.
• I've gone through Kaufman and the whole thing there, which was completely out of control.
• I am the division chief for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit here in Texas.
• HHS sets the rules, but the local authorities control the day-to-day decisions.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services convened to discuss interim charges regarding fraud, waste, and abuse in Texas human services, particularly focusing on Medicaid and childcare programs. The meeting highlighted the importance of preventing misuse of taxpayer funds, with testimony from various stakeholders emphasizing the need for increased oversight and accountability in these programs. Key points included the alarming rise in healthcare fraud in other states, the necessity for Texas to enhance its fraud prevention measures, and the potential financial repercussions of failing to meet federal compliance standards. Several committee members expressed concerns about the impact of fraud on vulnerable populations, particularly those relying on Medicaid services. Testimonies from experts underscored the effectiveness of Texas's Office of Inspector General (OIG) in combating fraud, yet pointed out existing vulnerabilities, such as inconsistent enforcement and the need for better data sharing among agencies. The discussion also touched on the challenges faced by hospice care providers, with a significant increase in the number of hospices in Texas raising concerns about quality and oversight. The committee heard from various witnesses, including representatives from health plans and advocacy organizations, who provided insights into the complexities of managing Medicaid and the importance of maintaining program integrity. The meeting concluded with a commitment to further explore legislative solutions to enhance oversight and ensure that resources are directed to those in genuine need.

Bills: HB4319, HB4317, HB1225, HB3076, HB3081, HB4226, SCR17, HB4432, HB3304, HB3411, HB3435, HB4339, HB4331, HB4341, HB4342, HB1770, HB1016, HB4113, HB2950, HB4141, HB3277, HB2988, HB3029, HB3338, HB1889, HB3834, HB3831, HB2939, HB3045, HB3657, HB1739, HB3759, HB3755, HB4484, HB4486, HB4108, HB1250, HB2961, HB1219, HB3025, HB1782, HB1907, HB3718, HB4459, HB2976, HB3548, HB3545, HB2952, HB2929, HB2956, HB2973, HB3055, HB3086, HB3040, HB3794, HB4336, HB3151, HB1590, HB3581, HB3313, HB3429, HB3448, HB1752, HB2650, HB3584, HB4202, HB3586, HB4321, HB4280, HB3650, HCR1020, HB2116, HB2206, HB4301, HB3625, HB3147, HB3403, HB3498, HB3970, HB3975, HB3976, HB3980, HB4265, HB4266, HB3638, HB3880, HB3930, HB3942, HB3944, HB4191, HB3242, HB3678

Keywords: administrative procedures, rulemaking authority, specific authority, legislative review, agency rules, accounting, CPA, licensure, educational requirements, reciprocity, professional conduct, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity

Bills: HB4319, HB4317, HB1225, HB3076, HB3081, HB4226, SCR17, HB4432, HB3304, HB3411, HB3435, HB4339, HB4331, HB4341, HB4342, HB1770, HB1016, HB4113, HB2950, HB4141, HB3277, HB2988, HB3029, HB3338, HB1889, HB3834, HB3831, HB2939, HB3045, HB3657, HB1739, HB3759, HB3755, HB4484, HB4486, HB4108, HB1250, HB2961, HB1219, HB3025, HB1782, HB1907, HB3718, HB4459, HB2976, HB3548, HB3545, HB2952, HB2929, HB2956, HB2973, HB3055, HB3086, HB3040, HB3794, HB4336, HB3151, HB1590, HB3581, HB3313, HB3429, HB3448, HB1752, HB2650, HB3584, HB4202, HB3586, HB4321, HB4280, HB3650, HCR1020, HB2116, HB2206, HB4301, HB3625, HB3147, HB3403, HB3498, HB3970, HB3975, HB3976, HB3980, HB4265, HB4266, HB3638, HB3880, HB3930, HB3942, HB3944, HB4191, HB3242, HB3678

Keywords: administrative procedures, rulemaking authority, specific authority, legislative review, agency rules, accounting, CPA, licensure, educational requirements, reciprocity, professional conduct, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity

Transcript Highlights:

• official board or commission, and any municipal officer board or commission, having the supervision, control
• I do have some comments toward the end on Chapter 54 for the selection and procurement of architectural
• And so you essentially have two architecture firms as they're, you know, the firm that may be the most

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding from the state GIA will support these architectural and engineering fees and are critical to
• Funding from the state GIA will support these architectural and engineering fees and are critical to
• of their health and to build control of their health and to build good<01:00:01.920> habits<01
• We will also raise awareness on how to control anger and stress in everyday life.
• We will also raise awareness on how to control anger and stress in everyday life.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that provides that each house is the manager of its own rules to basically allow the Legislature to control
• That's executive control.
• laws and perform its other duties as it sees fit, and for the executive and judicial branches to control
• and implement internal controls and to request proposals for outside independent CPAs to audit their
• Controls are the cornerstone of auditing, and Ms. Richardson has talked a lot about independence.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee hearing focused on whether the Office of the State Auditor may constitutionally audit the Massachusetts Legislature under Chapter 250 of the Acts of 2024 and what such an audit could include under generally accepted government auditing standards. Chair Cindy Friedman opened by explaining the background: voters approved Ballot Question 1 in November 2024, the law took effect in January 2025, and the Auditor then initiated audits of both chambers. The chair said the subcommittee was seeking expert testimony because the proposed audit scope, constitutionality, and possible bias concerns remained unresolved. Public testimony was invited, but no members of the public pre-registered; written testimony remained open for a short period after the hearing. The hearing then proceeded with invited experts on constitutional law/state government and auditing-related issues. Professor Lawrence Friedman testified that the ballot initiative’s approval by the Attorney General and by voters did not resolve constitutional questions, and he argued Chapter 250 violates the Massachusetts Constitution. He said the Legislature has constitutional authority to set its own rules and manage its proceedings, and that an executive-branch audit would intrude on legislative deliberation, speech and debate protections, and separation of powers. He also warned that even audits of supposedly administrative matters could become a vehicle for repeated document demands and litigation that would indirectly burden legislative functioning. In questioning, senators pressed him on the line between administrative and deliberative functions, the role of the Attorney General versus the courts, the possibility of retroactive audit scope, and whether prior legislative consent to audits mattered; he said prior consent would not bind future legislatures and that constitutionality is ultimately for the courts. Professor Ray La Raja also opposed the audit, framing it as a threat to institutional independence and representative democracy. He argued that allowing an executive-branch official to audit the Legislature without consent would upset separation of powers, chill internal debate, and create a precedent for broader executive intrusion. He said voters often support “transparency” reforms without fully appreciating institutional consequences, and that legislatures should defend their autonomy, especially amid what he described as broader executive overreach nationally. Senators asked about chilling effects, the practical distinction between administrative and core legislative functions, and whether the courts or the Legislature should resolve the issue; he said the courts would ultimately adjudicate disputes, but the Legislature should not waive its constitutional authority lightly. Jean Kempthorne took the opposite view, arguing the audit is permissible and should proceed. She said the state auditor is a constitutional officer accountable directly to the people, that the audit power can be expanded by statute, and that separation of powers does not require watertight compartments. She contended the audit would not displace core legislative powers because the auditor can only evaluate operations, report findings, and make recommendations. She also argued the Legislature itself already conducts audits of other branches, so it is inconsistent to claim an audit of the Legislature is unconstitutional. In response to senators’ questions, she said there are guardrails against truly intrusive requests, but that the administrative-versus-legislative distinction is not a workable bright line; she suggested disputes should be handled case by case, with objections, negotiation, or litigation if specific requests go too far. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, to provide additional support, let's say mentor support, is something that is within our control
• right after they have been found to possess a firearm that they would be under the influence of a controlled
• So with this legislation, as background, you should know that it's the basic architecture of civil rights
• So with this legislation, as a background, you should know that it's the basic architecture of civil
• Keith Regan, Controller, Department of Accounting and General Services.

Bills: HCR93, HCR14, HR85

Keywords: image-based sexual abuse, working group, gender-based violence, Hawaii Commission on the Status of Women, prevention efforts, survivor protections, new technologies, legal reform, HCR14, House Concurrent Resolution, perpetual easement, non-exclusive easement, state submerged lands, submerged lands, shoreline easement, drainage outfall, stormwater outfall, lagoon outfall, pipelines, Kahala Hotel & Resort