Transcript Highlights:

• of Citrus receives revenue from assessments levied on each box of citrus that enters commercial commerce
• In 2020, we started the first e-commerce performance campaign that allowed us to have attributed sales
• Can you provide an update on e-commerce and digital marketing?
• was a great year for us in one respect, and that was it was the time we took the risk to go into e-commerce
• We have met or exceeded our e-commerce goals every year since 2020.

Summary: The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee met to organize for the session, confirm a quorum, and hear introductory remarks from members about their districts and interests. Chair Esposito outlined the committee’s jurisdiction and budget overview, noting a total budget of about $7.2 billion, with major funding tied to the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Citrus. She also described major cost drivers such as Everglades restoration, water quality, resiliency, land acquisition, and rural family lands, and asked members to review agency requests in small groups later in the process. Agency leaders then presented budget and program updates. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson emphasized department efficiency efforts, including IT modernization, staff reorganization, rural and family lands conservation, best management practices, Fresh From Florida marketing, hurricane recovery loans for farmers, and completion of the Connor Complex headquarters. DEP Secretary Alexis Lambert highlighted record investments in Everglades restoration, water quality projects, resilience grants, land acquisition, state parks, and enforcement. FWC Executive Director Roger Young discussed conservation research, fisheries and wildlife management, law enforcement, disaster response, and pressures from growth, boating, invasive species, and derelict vessels. Department of Citrus Executive Director Shannon Shep reviewed the industry’s decline due to hurricanes and citrus greening, current research and marketing efforts, and e-commerce campaigns to support Florida citrus sales. Members asked questions about citrus production declines, future replanting and therapies, rural family lands, PFOS cleanup, mangrove restoration, flooding and pump infrastructure, agricultural theft, and derelict vessel removal. Officials generally responded with updates, emphasized science-based management and enforcement, and in several cases said they would follow up with more detailed information later. No formal votes were taken; the meeting ended with the chair directing members to provide feedback on agencies for further budget review and then adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Constitution empowers Congress to regulate commerce, not to rig it.
• to regulate commerce, not to rig<05:31:58.718> it.
• This will be a division vote. in the Commerce Committee as long as I in the Commerce Committee as long
• The Commerce Committee only regulates small business and individuals.
• Speaker, if I know this vote, this bill came out of Commerce 15 to 1, that the Commerce Committee has

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We heard it in commerce.
• We heard it in commerce.
• Commerce.

Summary: The caucus reviewed several bills and Senate or conference committee amendments, with members generally noting whether the sponsor intended to concur. HB 2749 would let courts enter a Class 1 misdemeanor conviction for certain lower-level felony convictions, with the Senate amendment requiring at least five years since completion of sentence before eligibility. HB 2082 would create a childhood cancer and rare childhood disease research commission and adjust funding rules, including a five-million-dollar threshold tied to appropriations or federal grants. HB 2096 would allow counties to seek WIFA assistance for cesspool remediation, with the Senate adding an alternative compliance path using ADEQ’s nonpoint source management plan. HB 4001 would regulate alternative nicotine products through the Department of Liquor Licensing and Control; members discussed whether some tobacco-related products remain outside the bill, tribal enforcement limits, and the absence of a tax provision. The presenter said the AG and governor support the bill. The caucus then shifted to conference committee bills. HB 2003 would lower the learner’s permit age from 15.5 to 15 and increase supervised driving time, but several members raised safety concerns and questioned whether the change was needed; the conference amendment would let current instruction permit holders qualify for a license after six months, while still requiring age 16 for licensure. HB 2133 would impose content-verification requirements for commercial websites publishing sexual material, with conference changes exempting pre-effective-date motion pictures and television programming. Members noted the Motion Picture Association still had concerns, though the changes addressed some retroactivity issues. HB 2874 would change campaign finance penalty rules, including a five-day publication requirement for committees owing late-filing penalties, a $5,000 cap on penalties per late report, and retroactive relief for certain inactive committees that filed no-contribution/no-expenditure reports and later terminated; one member said they still had not received the outstanding fee totals requested on the floor. HB 2010 would regulate digital goods sellers and refunds for revoked access to licensed digital content; the conference version kept a five-year refund structure but changed the refund amount to 20% per year, clarified refund procedures, and removed the refund requirement if alternative access is provided. The caucus took no votes in the transcript and ended after the bill presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• stream within the state's transportation fund, administered through the DOTD's Office of Multimodal Commerce
• Amendment number one authorizes the Office of Multimodal Commerce to utilize data from certain federal
• of sales tax amounts collected on aviation fuel sales and requires the DOTD Office of Multimodal Commerce

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on May 5, 2026, and first considered Senate Bill 436 by Senator Cloud, which revises how annual aviation fuel estimates are calculated for the Aviation Trust Fund. Senator Cloud explained that the fund supports airport and aviation projects and is used to draw down federal matching dollars, but its credited amount has remained flat for years despite changing fuel sales. The committee adopted a set of amendments allowing DOTD’s Office of Multimodal Commerce to use federal and other public data sources, requiring annual sales tax collection reports from the Department of Revenue, and making a technical change. The bill was then reported favorably as amended, with several supporters’ cards entered into the record. The committee next took up House Bill 1039 by Representative Desotel, dealing with local sales and use tax audit procedures. Desotel said the bill was intended to improve fairness, transparency, and consistency in local audits, especially where businesses face multiple simultaneous audits by different parishes. A nine-amendment set was offered; after discussion, the committee adopted all amendments except Amendment 4, which would have required private auditing firms to be domiciled in Louisiana, and authorized staff to make technical changes. Members raised concerns about whether the bill could unintentionally encourage delays in audits and about whether audits in one parish could trigger audits in others. Desotel said the goal was to add guardrails without harming parish taxing authority, and the bill was reported as amended. Several witnesses and committee members spoke in support of stronger limits on repeated parish audits, describing the burden on businesses and the need for a more uniform process. Support cards were read into the record from multiple individuals and organizations, including the Louisiana Retailers Association and NFIB. Senate Bill 423 was then voluntarily deferred, and the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as the Vice President of Government Affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• from his chamber colleagues in other states, it has become very clear to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce
• Well, having established quorum, the Commerce Committee will now go into executive session.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first called the roll, established a quorum, and then heard Senate Bill 1553 from Senator Curtis Gregory. The bill is aimed at national defense and reshoring critical supply chains to the United States, including pharmaceuticals and critical minerals/materials used in defense and manufacturing. Gregory said the Senate had added clarifying language tying eligible materials to federal critical-material and FDA lists. Supporters testified that the bill could help Missouri compete in sectors now dominated by foreign producers, especially China and India, and could strengthen national security by encouraging domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and critical minerals. Witnesses from Jost Chemical, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the API Innovation Center, Doe Run, and Associated Industries of Missouri emphasized the difficulty of competing with subsidized foreign supply chains, the importance of transferable tax credits, and Missouri’s existing industrial base. Several witnesses noted that grants would be harder to administer and that federal support or price stability may still be needed for large-scale projects like mines. No one testified in opposition or for informational purposes. The committee then moved into executive session and voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 1553, with nine ayes and zero nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• when recalled to work about former importer after temporary layoff and requires the Department of Commerce
• not in jail does not already have another job and make sure they are alive and requires department commerce
• So there could potentially be Acosta, Department of Commerce for some of the the requirements in here

Transcript Highlights:

• Commerce, Science, and Transportation be reported favorably. Is there a second? Second.
• That led to the Department of Commerce and the Joint Chiefs of Staff agreeing on the legislation.
• That's what we tried to do in the bill that DOD and NTIA and the Department of Commerce agreed to.

Keywords: spectrum policy, FCC auction authority, national security, innovation, technology development, 9-1-1 modernization, adaptive technologies, China competition

Summary: The meeting centered on the critical examination of spectrum policy and its implications for innovation and national security. The committee discussed the lapse of the FCC's spectrum auction authority, which has been in effect since March 2023, emphasizing the urgency of restoring this authority to maintain U.S. technological leadership against competitors like China. Witnesses provided testimony regarding the need for adaptive and reconfigurable spectrum technologies to enhance communication capabilities for both civilian and military applications. Senator Klobuchar highlighted the importance of modernizing 9-1-1 systems and ensuring robust emergency communication frameworks leveraging new spectrum innovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• from Brownsville, our esteemed mayor and all our amazing city commissioners, our amazing chamber of commerce
• Society of Professional Engineers and the 2024 Business Person of the Year by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce
• Heather has served on several boards including the Lubbock Area United Way, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Chris McKaley, here on behalf of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, in respectful opposition.
• Adam Regley, on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce and NAIOP SoCal, in opposition.
• John Kenrick from the California Chamber of Commerce with a tweener position here.
• Nicole Kinyanos on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce, in opposition.
• Nicole Kenyanos on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce and Opposition.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Environment, and Climate, to which was referred Senate File 2393, a bill for an act relating to commerce
• , establishing a biennial budget for commerce and energy, reports the same back with the recommendation
• <00:07:04.639> act<00:07:04.880> relating<00:07:05.120> to<00:07:05.280> commerce
• , an act relating to commerce, an act relating to commerce, establishing<00:07:06.319> a<00
• and energy, reports the same commerce and energy, reports the same back<00:07:09.919> with<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As many of you know, I was the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for the last six years, and
• What I also understand from working from the Chamber of Commerce side is you can pass legislation and
• I want to note and thank Chair Gallegos from the Commerce Committee. Thank you for being here.
• Commerce affects workforce policies, so we held hearings at NMSU, San Juan College, and CNM to hear from
• With this committee and with all members to improve commerce in New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• ideally from New Hampshire state law to our congressional delegation to go to the Department of Commerce
• ideally from New Hampshire state law to our congressional delegation to go to the Department of Commerce
• ideally from New Hampshire state law to our congressional delegation to go to the Department of Commerce
• ideally from New Hampshire state law to our congressional delegation to go to the Department of Commerce
• The grading of lumber and those standards actually is a federal Department of Commerce issue.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First up, we have the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Office of Consumer Protection.
• Next, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Insurance Division.
• First up, we have Department of Commerce First up, we have Department of Commerce and<00:35:51.280
• First up, we have the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
• First up, we have the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Good afternoon again.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures. HB 1957, relating to safe entryways, would create enforcement procedures in large cities to prevent personal property from blocking private doorways or entrances. The Department of the Attorney General supported the concept but recommended moving the offense to the criminal code, adding clearer definitions to avoid vagueness, and including notice, inventory, storage, and property-disposition procedures to address constitutional concerns. No other testimony was offered and no questions were raised. HB 25003/HB 253, relating to fireworks, would expand civil asset forfeiture for certain fireworks offenses, revise the definition of aerial device, and clarify air-delivery offenses. The Attorney General supported the bill but suggested removing the 25-pound weight threshold to avoid unequal treatment of similar offenses. The Department of Law Enforcement also supported the measure, saying it would improve clarity for evolving fireworks investigations and prosecutions. The committee took no action during testimony. HB 2137, relating to artificial intelligence, would prohibit certain harmful uses of realistic AI-generated digital imitations, require disclosures, and create civil remedies and fines. The Commission on the Status of Women supported the bill, while the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women opposed it on First Amendment grounds. The Motion Picture Association, Recording Industry Association of America, and SAG-AFTRA also opposed the bill but said they preferred a different framework, the federal “No Fakes” model, and were willing to work with the committee on amendments. The Attorney General had suggested constitutional amendments, which the chair said would be considered later. The committee also heard HB 2198 on prediction markets, with the Honolulu prosecutor strongly supporting inclusion of prediction markets in the gambling definition because of concerns about speculative betting on events and national security-related outcomes. HB 1511 on consumer protection drew support from the Office of Consumer Protection and the Insurance Division, with OCP proposing clearer disclosure for license and registration renewal solicitations. HB 1897 on condominium alternative dispute resolution received supportive comments from the Real Estate Commission and CI. HB 1642 on crypto kiosks drew strong support from OCP and AARP Hawaii for a ban on kiosks accepting U.S. currency, but opposition from Hill Ventures, which argued for regulation and guardrails instead of a ban. HB 1753 on social media account deletion received supportive comments from DCCA on clarifying deletion of unique identifiers and inferences. HB 1654 on anonymous complaints against public employees drew strong opposition from the Attorney General over implementation and due process concerns, while the Government Employees Association supported it as a way to screen baseless complaints; the committee then moved on to HB 1659 on collective bargaining, with testimony beginning as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.
• Um, the Secretary of Commerce, through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
• Um the Secretary of Commerce<01:38:01.360> through<01:38:01.520> Assistant<01:38:02.080
• > Secretary<01:38:02.800> of Commerce through Assistant Secretary of Commerce through Assistant
• and Commerce for Communications and Commerce for Communications and Information<01:38:04.720>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here today on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce.
• , Coalition of Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, and the Thai American Chamber of Commerce.
• On behalf of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, in opposition. Thank you.
• Chamber of Commerce and respectful opposition. Mr.
• Adam Reglu, with the California Chamber of Commerce, and respectful opposition. Thanks.

Summary: The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open. After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maui Chamber of Commerce in support. And Tax Foundation of Hawaii with comments.
• Lending in support, Maui Chamber of Lending in support, Maui Chamber of Commerce<00:19:17.840> in<
• /c><00:19:18.080> support,<00:19:18.640> Hawaii<00:19:19.039> Regional Commerce
• in support, Hawaii Regional Commerce in support, Hawaii Regional Council<00:19:19.679> of<00:19
• In support, Pamela Tonap and she's Maui Chamber of Commerce, uh, in with comments.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard several housing-related bills and resolutions. HB 1298 HD3 would create a government employee housing revolving fund and a government employee 99-year leasehold rent-to-own program; testimony was generally supportive from HHFDC, labor groups, and the Maui Chamber, with the Tax Foundation and Budget and Finance raising concerns about the revolving fund. The committees recommended passage with non-substantive amendments for clarity and consistency, and the motion was adopted. HB 741 H2, which would exempt certain affordable housing projects financed by a certified nonprofit CDFI from prevailing wage requirements, drew support from housing advocates and opposition from several construction unions; the chairs said they were concerned about the labor objections and deferred the measure, with the labor committee agreeing to defer it as well. The housing committee then took up HB 417 HD1, which creates a housing efficiency and innovation subaccount in the rental housing revolving fund and allows HHFDC to transfer funds between the subaccount and the main fund without legislative approval. Testimony was largely supportive. The chair described a series of amendments, including changing the funding-efficiency standard, adding perpetual affordability language, allowing any land tenure type, broadening eligible financing tools, adding priority criteria for mixed-income projects and government-employee projects, and inserting blank appropriations tied to a requested $75 million per year and a $75 million subaccount appropriation for the HCDA 99-year leasehold project. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. HB 422 HD1, which would repeal school impact fees and move remaining balances to the school facilities special fund, drew broad support from housing and taxpayer groups and opposition from the Department of Education and some individuals. The School Facilities Authority and DOE argued the current system had not produced enough usable land or school sites and suggested narrowing the exemption to government housing projects’ construction costs instead of repealing the fee entirely. Members pressed DOE and SFA on how much land had actually been obtained and whether the fee had been effective; the discussion highlighted concerns about unused balances, school overcrowding, and the role of the Land Use Commission and county zoning in securing school sites. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion shown. The committee also heard STR 60/SR 45, urging HHFDC to develop a plan to meet housing demand, and STR 77/SR 60, addressing continued eligibility for housing credits for certain projects after repeal of Act 31; both sets of resolutions had HHFDC support, with DHHL supporting STR 77/SR 60 and Johnny May Perry opposing both.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Commerce. And then also through the same act, the Digital Equity Act was created.
• However, that was terminated by the Department of Commerce on May 9, 2025.
• <00:45:21.920> and<00:45:22.160> then the US department of commerce and then the US
• in May uh on May 20 May 9th, Commerce in May uh on May 20 May 9th, 2025.<00:45:34.560> I'm<00
• Department of Commerce with the Digital Equity Act.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Last session I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee, and in commerce we talked a lot about insurance
• Last session I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee, and in commerce we talked a lot about insurance
• Last session I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee, and in commerce we talked a lot about insurance
• Last session I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee, and in commerce we talked a lot about insurance
• Last session I was honored to sit on the Commerce Committee, and in commerce we talked a lot about insurance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The state fraud unit moves from the Department of Commerce to the BCA.
• We provide a little bit of money for project readiness for corridors of commerce in the metro.
• We provide a little bit of money for project readiness for corridors of commerce in the metro.
• Line 97 is $5 quarters of commerce.
• for the quarters of commerce for the quarters of commerce construction<01:49:54.639> program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much, Cherry Manor from Chamber of Commerce.
• development at the Chamber of Commerce development at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.<00:41:26.400
• partnership with the Chamber of Commerce partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and<00:44:17.920
• And chairman from Chamber of Commerce. Commerce. Commerce. >> Thank<01:26:32.800> you.
• . that strike any sort of commerce clause?

Bills: HB2118, HB2473

Keywords: business development, arts, cultural affairs, Hawaii, commissions, administrative transfer, funding appropriation, Hawaiian culture, sense of place, land management, environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to permitting and economic development. On HB 2603, relating to permits, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development said it supported the measure with comments. Committee discussion focused on the fact that the state’s facilitated permit process appears to have been rarely or never used, the need to identify specific projects that would use it, and whether DBEDT would need dedicated staffing to administer it. DBEDT said it had found no projects under the current process, had no capacity to run the program as structured, and estimated it would need about 7 to 9 FTEs, including permitting, coordination, data, systems, and possibly legal support. The chair suggested exploring a staff assignment and comparing the concept to federal FAST-41-style expedited permitting. On HB 2140, relating to essential permitting positions, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development again supported the bill with comments. Testimony and questioning centered on a pilot program to help counties pay competitively for permitting staff. A DBEDT representative said the issue of competitive pay affected both county and state permitting offices and that the bill was intended as a temporary pilot, though a more permanent solution would be preferable. When asked how counties would fund the salary support, the witness said that was not yet discussed with the counties and agreed to follow up. The committee also noted the bill applies to participating counties. On HB 2598, relating to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the State Procurement Office and HTDC offered comments, and the Department of the Attorney General raised constitutional concerns. The AG said the bill’s residency-based certification requirements, when tied to procurement, could implicate the dormant Commerce Clause, and that the required 1% contribution tied to state contracts raised unconstitutional-conditions concerns. In questioning, the AG characterized these as legal risks rather than automatic lawsuits. The committee did not take a vote. The committee then heard HB 2141, relating to state enterprise zones. Taxation, DBEDT, HCDA, the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, and HTDC testified in support, while the Tax Foundation noted the program was intended to help economically depressed areas create jobs. HTDC said the bill would help preserve the Maui Research and Technology Center’s enterprise-zone status after rezoning. Committee discussion focused on whether the enterprise zone program is being used effectively, how the bill might attract businesses to areas where the state is investing, and whether the program’s labor requirements are too burdensome for new businesses. DBEDT explained that the program requires a 10% workforce increase in the first year, which must be sustained, and said it promotes the program through county coordinators and in-person outreach. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.