Transcript Highlights:

• So, skipping to the last bill on our agenda, House Bill 718, relating to positions at the John Aurn
• Uh, again, three 3.0 FTE faculty positions: one in the field of cardiovascular biology, one in tropical
• Three 3.0 FTE faculty positions: one in cardiovascular biology, one in tropical medicine, and one in
• Uh, for Senate Bill 865, this is uh seatar positions. this over till tomorrow at 305 as well?
• For the purposes of getting the positions to seat, that is being drafted to speak.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• too few people hold too many positions. too few people hold too many positions.
• multiple positions. multiple positions.
• residents voted to combine the position residents voted to combine the position as<00:50:18.960>
• I take no position on the bill.
• sure you understood my position. sure you understood my position.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And Tess, how long have you been in the position? Mr.
• And even on those positions, they weren't fully filled.
• So I jumped into the position.
• So, how long have you been in your position? Mr.
• So what is their position on adding those monitors? Mr.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:12.080> and engagement has been very positive and engagement has been very positive
• Um, and we're in a far different position.
• We have not far far different position.
• Cloud and that we're in a position where we're going to be forced to do something.
• So those positions, there will be, we believe, many opportunities for them along the way.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:13.279> how position how position how come<00:24:15.520> we<00:24:15.679> do<
• <00:38:34.680> and rest of those faculty positions and rest of those faculty positions and
• And so we're actually, I just interviewed one for the fifth position this week.
• <01:22:00.000> teaching<01:22:00.880> position go go into a position teaching position
• go go into a position teaching position right<01:22:01.480> after<01:22:01.840> they<01

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and Higher Education heard HB 1494, relating to sports facilities. Testimony was largely in opposition to the bill as drafted from the Stadium Authority, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, with several other written comments also opposing; each asked that if the measure advances, Senate language from related stadium bills be incorporated instead. The University of Hawaiʻi testified in support of the Nāʻid project and said it wants the project delivered at Halawa so the university can have a football facility, though members pressed the university on whether it was effectively supporting both the project and the bill’s current approach. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on the stadium project’s financing, schedule, and oversight. DAGS and Public Works discussed a consultant contract that had grown to about $28 million and an audit that recovered $441,000 after improper travel and expense reimbursements, including first-class airfare and other personal expenses; officials said the audit exposed weak internal controls and led to revised reimbursement policies. Members questioned whether the problems would have been found without media reporting and whether stronger oversight should have been in place earlier. The committee also discussed the current Ching Field setup for UH football, with witnesses describing it as less than ideal and temporary until the new stadium is built. Stadium Authority representatives said the current preferred offeror is Aloha Halawa Development Partners, negotiations have recently accelerated, and the goal remains a contract this summer and a fall 2028 opening. They said the state is committed to $350 million in general obligation bonds, with the overall project expected to cost more, and that the developer is exploring other financing sources such as TIF or CFD while the state and city work to expedite permits and demolition. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• No one should leave our institutions in a worse position than the position that they came in.
• If 50 percent of the officers maybe lose their positions.
• CDCR has made some positive moves in trying to make... Selections unit within CDCR.
• CDCR has made some positive moves in trying to make.
• They are trying to engage in more positive programming.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a different position, so we've gotten some new funding around that.
• And so I’m curious if the state had been in a position to...”
• So that's a positive note for the program.
• It's not like we're talking about three analyst positions.
• Our department requests $400,000 General Fund ongoing to support one permanent position.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard informational updates and budget requests from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz), the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), and the California Film Commission. Go-Biz Director D.D. Myers described the California Jobs First strategy, including regional economic planning, sector working groups, and investments in priority industries such as ag-tech, space and defense, life sciences, semiconductors, and microelectronics. She also outlined budget proposals for a five-year extension of the CalCompetes tax credit, support for export promotion, additional staffing for the film tax credit program, innovation and emerging technologies work, and the new California brand campaign. Senators questioned the campaign’s purpose, its relationship to tourism promotion, and whether it could obscure regulatory and business-climate concerns; Myers said it was intended to counter misinformation, promote California’s economic strengths, and support business attraction and retention, not to shut down debate about policy challenges. CalOSBA Deputy Director Claire Whitmer and program partners reported on the California RISE program, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and technical assistance/capital infusion programs. CalOSBA said RISE’s first cohort awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, which collectively expanded operations and employment for people facing barriers to work; a second round is being launched with updated services and a new grant administrator. The Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund fully distributed $11.6 million to 100 recipients, but witnesses said demand far exceeded available funding and that the sector remains fragile after the pandemic and AB 5-related cost increases. The technical assistance and capital programs were described as serving more than 112,000 businesses in the last year, helping start 3,780 new businesses and leverage significant loan and equity capital, with emphasis on outreach to women-, minority-, veteran-, rural-, and low-wealth-owned firms. Committee members focused on whether these programs produce durable outcomes and reach underserved communities. One senator asked for longitudinal data on employment social enterprises and whether jobs created through incentives persist over time; CalOSBA said it would provide prior studies and future tracking. Another senator pressed for more outreach and support for small businesses at different stages of development, especially those in disadvantaged communities that may struggle to access capital. The California Film Commission then presented a request for three permanent positions and ongoing funding to administer the expanded film and television tax credit program. Commissioners said the program is tracking demographic and career-pathway data, with about 90% of productions opting into new diversity provisions and reporting due to the Legislature in 2027. The LAO supported the film commission staffing request given the larger program size and expanded applicant pool. No votes were taken; the items were informational or budget requests under review.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:00.000> we're those negatives and positives we're those negatives and positives we're
• Those 49 positions consisted of adjudicators and call center staff.
• Those 49 positions consisted of adjudicators and call center staff.
• So the time frame on particular positions, I'm not sure.
• <00:34:15.599> I'm time frame on particular positions I'm time frame on particular positions

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development received a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education officials on the final SEEK estimate for fiscal year 2025. Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, Matt Ross, and Chay Ritter explained that SEEK is developed through a consensus process with the Office of the State Budget Director using multiple models and district-level inputs, and that the estimate is a projection made well before actual data are available. They emphasized that the discussion was separate from the pending education-funding lawsuit and described SEEK as one part of a much larger K-12 budget picture. The presenters said the current SEEK estimate shows a statutory shortfall of about $14.7 million, or roughly 0.53% of the appropriation, with additional optional items that could bring the total to about $40.5 million if funds are available. They noted that prior years have sometimes produced excess funds, which are redirected according to budget language rather than automatically flowing back through SEEK. They also reviewed the main drivers of the estimate, including property assessments, average daily attendance, free lunch counts, exceptional child counts, home hospital, and limited English proficiency, and said property assessments have been especially volatile while exceptional child counts and ELL populations are difficult to predict. Members asked about why the estimate missed on some categories, especially special education and ELL, and whether district-level changes were being monitored closely enough. The presenters said KDE does monitor special education counts and will review larger districts and districts with unusual growth, and they acknowledged that exceptional child growth has been hard to forecast. Representative Bojanowski asked about the Cloverport virtual school, and staff said its growth was much larger than projected and accounted for a significant portion of the shortfall. Members also discussed the impact of property value growth, population shifts, illness, and legislative changes on SEEK projections. No vote or formal action was taken, and the meeting ended after questions and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• model policy as internal guidance, or whether LDH personnel attended its trainings, or whether its position
• statements, rule revisions, legislation, resolutions, position statements, rule revisions, legislation
• Sorry, I'm in Echols' position. It's Representative Berault. Yeah, it's me.
• , would attend in the medical profession, all different types of positions, would attend conferences,
• This is a positive step forward.

Bills: HR290, HR298, SB405, SCR61, HR318

Keywords: gender-affirming care, gender affirming therapy, gender-affirming hormone therapy, transgender health, trans youth, LGBTQ, mental health, psychosis, psychiatric conditions, puberty blockers, androgen blockers, cross-sex hormones, estrogen, testosterone, informed consent, screening, monitoring protocols, Louisiana Department of Health, LDH, House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• This position will have a line of sight into the various programs and funding streams that touch dementia
• We've also seen these positions have been instrumental in leveraging federal and philanthropic dollars
• 40.080> line<00:04:40.240> of<00:04:40.400> sight<00:04:40.639> into position
• will have a line of sight into position will have a line of sight into the<00:04:40.919> various<
• You know, Minnesota put together a strategic plan to address dementia in 2022, and I see this position

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of these essential positions of these essential positions as<01:26:54.880> well<01:26:55.040
• Unfortunately, districts have not been able to use this funding for positions to maintain a position
• Unfortunately, districts have not been able to use this funding for positions to maintain a position
• Unfortunately, districts have not been able to use this funding for positions to maintain a position
• Unfortunately, districts have not been able to use this funding for positions to maintain a position

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Finance Committee met on January 28, 2025, to receive updates on chronic absenteeism work funded in the 2024 education finance bill. The chair introduced presentations from districts in the student attendance pilot program—Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Chisago, and Rochester—and noted that the committee would also hear the student attendance and truancy legislative study group report and later a bill from Senator Weber. The chair also thanked educational assistants and paraprofessionals for their work in schools. Minneapolis Public Schools described common attendance challenges across pilot districts, including inconsistent attendance coding, weak family communication, difficulty identifying interventions, and uneven responses to absences. The district said pilot districts want statewide definitions for absences, tardies, and exempt codes, as well as better internal dashboards and clearer procedures. Minneapolis also highlighted strategies such as attendance teams at each school, quarterly postcards to families after five or more absences, Promise Fellows, home visits, multilingual communication through TalkingPoints, and a morning nurse line to help parents decide whether a child should stay home. The district said its main attendance goal is to raise consistent attendance from 68 percent to 80 percent by 2026. In response to committee questions, Minneapolis said its main post-COVID absenteeism reason has been illness or medical issues, followed by transportation problems, and that it does not penalize students for transportation-related absences. The district said it counts secondary absences when students miss more than three periods in a day, with truancy beginning after seven such absences, while elementary students are counted absent for the full day. Members also asked about whether reduced truancy referrals reflected more attendance or diversionary supports; the district said its approach is to focus on understanding root causes and providing support rather than quickly referring students to truancy processes. The district reported improved communication, greater parent awareness, and fewer truancy referrals so far, and said the attendance team model should be sustainable because it uses existing staff with clearer direction.

Transcript Highlights:

• You may approach the mic with name, affiliation, and position only, please. Timothy Bird Jr.
• You may approach the mic with name, affiliation, and position only, please. Timothy Bird Jr.
• Anybody who wants to come to the mic and just say name, position, and affiliation only?
• You may approach the microphone with name, affiliation, and position only, please.
• You may approach the mic with name, affiliation, and position only, please. A good after...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I need to have the ability to staff the positions to provide the care.
• It is not cost-effective to staff those positions if I'm not full. That's why those pins float.
• You have had pins out there for months and months and months, and you just can't fill those positions
• There's still positions that I need to hire, and there's training that needs to be done.
• I will say there's about 51 positions that were a direct result of the loss of federal funding.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would think that that would be, well, the hope is that that's a positive experience.
• Now, these positions, would they be housed in Bismarck?
• Would these be housed in Bismarck, these positions? Chairman Nelson, yes.
• Yeah, I guess I'm looking at those four positions in the county jail overflow.
• Yes, we'd have the case managers for that position there.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2399, concerning therapeutic leave days for psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs). Sarah Aker from the Department of Health and Human Services explained the current Medicaid rate-setting methodology, how occupancy affects rates, and why paying the full rate for leave days would create additional fiscal impact. Members debated whether the bill should pay the full Medicaid rate, a flat reduced rate, or a tiered rate, and discussed whether a cap or department authorization should be used to control use of leave days. The department said it was not supporting the change as it was not in the governor’s budget, though it supported family engagement in care. After discussion, the committee settled on a compromise motion to set therapeutic leave days at a $500 daily rate and require department authorization of the number of leave days. The motion passed 6-2, with Representative Anderson voting no and the rest of the recorded members voting yes. The committee then moved on to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget materials, where Michelle Zander walked through detailed population and rate calculations for women’s and men’s facilities, county holds, deferred admissions, transitional facilities, work release, and proposed reentry, man camp, and Grand Forks-related costs. Members asked about the county jail reimbursement rates and the overall pool of funds, and Zander explained the calculations and noted the proposal was roughly break-even depending on assumptions. The committee also heard an overview of DOCR IT requests from Amy and NDIT staff, including data processing, medical modules, a new client management system, body scanners, data management tools, facility management software, medical software upgrades, college solutions, and body cameras/tasers. Staff explained that the new client management system would likely be a multi-phase project with a wide cost range based on vendor selection and scope, and that the current request was for phase one. Members emphasized the importance of better data tracking, staff safety tools, and information that could help explain programming and release outcomes to the public. The committee planned to continue with Veterans Affairs the next day and then return to Senate Bill 2015.

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of this proposal, we are requesting 16 positions to be phased in over multiple years.
• California volunteers would also... would receive 48 permanent positions to administer the program.
• So the next steps are that our Our board is going to be in a position to consider whether any changes
• This request would add 14 positions to our authorized positions at the Office of Public School Construction
• This is authority, not dollars, and 45 positions, again authority, not dollars, to staff and maintain

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Name, organization, and position.
• We had an opposing less-amended position.
• Name, organization, and position.
• Name, affiliation, and position.
• Name, affiliation, and position.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard AB 1988, which would require companion chatbots to respond to credible crisis expressions with a 988 lifeline notice, human review after repeated crisis signals, and a pause in the chat. The author and supporters said AI chatbots are increasingly used for emotional support but are not equipped to handle suicidal or violent ideation safely; they cited cases of harmful chatbot responses and argued the bill is a limited safety measure, not a ban. Support came from crisis, family medicine, and child/family service organizations, and there was no formal opposition testimony. Members praised the bill’s intent and the author’s work, and the bill was held pending quorum before later discussion moved on to the next item. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for accounts on social media platforms with harmful addictive features and create an e-safety advisory commission. The author argued that social media product design—such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds—drives compulsive use and mental health harms, especially for children, and said the bill would still allow safer, non-addictive platforms and online spaces. Supporters, including a psychologist and the Organization for Social Media Safety, described cyberbullying, predation, addiction, and mental health harms; several organizations and advocates also supported the measure. Opponents, including EFF, privacy groups, civil liberties organizations, and youth and LGBTQ advocates, argued the bill is overbroad, raises privacy and First Amendment concerns, and could cut off young people from community, news, and support. They pointed to Australia’s experience as evidence that age restrictions are easy to circumvent and may shift harms elsewhere, and urged feature-level regulation instead of age-based exclusion. Committee members debated whether the bill is a “ban” or a delay, how age assurance would work, and whether the commission could meaningfully define and update harmful features; several members said they would support the bill while acknowledging it needs further work and ongoing oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because this is related to their position here for the deportation part of any immigration bills.
• associate judge position back in 2022. associate judge position back in 2022.
• authorizes the additional judge position authorizes the additional judge position but<00:31:10.560
• So I appreciate your position on it, but I think I would urge you to meet with the chief.
• um she's affected by this new position um she's affected by this new position unless<01:37:26.400

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several Senate bills. On SB 2530, relating to campaign contributions, the State Procurement Office suggested clarifying that contractor disclosure information be submitted within 30 days of a fully executed contract, while the Campaign Spending Commission supported the bill but asked that the restriction on contributions by officers be expanded beyond compensated officers. Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action supported the measure and urged keeping the Senate language, arguing it better addresses contractor influence, while no other testifiers appeared. On SB 2970, relating to standards of conduct, the State Ethics Commission supported the bill and proposed amendments to consolidate the new language into existing Chapter 84 contract provisions and use “department head” instead of “director.” The State Procurement Office supported the measure but recommended closing a perceived loophole by limiting the covered contracts to those under $10,000. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee then heard SB 2919, which would fund one full-time Deputy Public Defender position focused on immigration-related advice under Padilla v. Kentucky. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrants’ Rights, and the ACLU of Hawaii supported the bill, explaining that the position would help public defenders advise clients about immigration consequences of criminal cases, not provide immigration representation. Members asked several questions about the scope of the position and whether it could assist with citizenship; testimony clarified that it would not handle civil immigration matters. The bill was also described as creating a statewide consistent resource for the public defender system. Finally, on SB 2446, relating to the judiciary, the Intermediate Court of Appeals supported adding a seventh associate judge position but noted the court has only recently been fully staffed at six judges and has improved output through internal changes. The chair emphasized that the bill authorizes the position without funding and encouraged the judiciary to return later if appropriations are needed. The committee also began hearing SB 2730, a criminal justice reform bill on warrantless arrests and citations. OHA supported reducing unnecessary arrests but objected to making citations visible on criminal records; the Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, citing law enforcement flexibility, identification concerns, and possible litigation costs; and the Judiciary requested a later implementation date and suggested changes to citation-resolution language. The transcript ends while testimony on SB 2730 was still underway.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it sounds like positions in it.
• positions are full-time employee positions are full-time employee positions<01:17:59.199> that
• ><01:18:11.280> positions.
• <01:26:47.600> to and now we're bringing in a position to and now we're bringing in a position
• <01:28:41.840> after I think that's why this position after I think that's why this position

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• position.
• position.
• position.
• legislation that created that position. legislation that created that position.
• a corrective position. a corrective position.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate File 856, a bill to create a statewide Office of Inspector General to combat fraud. Representative Norris presented a delete-everything amendment that would keep most of the Senate bill but add more emphasis on fraud prevention, fully fund the office, avoid duplicating work already done by the BCA’s financial crimes division, and preserve subject-matter expertise by keeping some existing inspectors general in their agencies. He said the amendment would retain strong investigative powers, including subpoenas, while using the BCA for arrests, and he acknowledged his original version was likely too broad, so he planned to offer smaller amendments if needed. Chair Nash and other members challenged the DE on both process and substance. Nash said the amendment had not been shared with key stakeholders, noted that the Senate author had publicly distanced herself from it, and pointed to a governor’s office document saying the administration wanted a different approach than the Senate bill. He argued the Senate bill was a bipartisan, bicameral product and said the committee should be careful about accuracy and process. Representative Davis questioned Norris about the claim that the Senate bill was underfunded and about the governor’s role in selecting the inspector general, arguing that the governor should not have broad control over the office. Norris responded that the Senate bill’s fiscal note estimated roughly $12 million for the biennium, but the bill appropriated less than that amount, and he said the Constitution requires the governor to appoint the inspector general if the office is in the executive branch. He said the DE tried to preserve independence through a bipartisan advisory commission, Senate confirmation, a five-year term, restrictions on partisan activity, and removal only for cause with a public hearing. After debate from several members, the committee held a roll call and the DE failed on a 7-7 tie, so it was not adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:17:56.919> and legislature establishes positions and legislature establishes positions
• So not just one; we need more positions.
• 55.240> people need more positions we need more people need more positions we need more people
• Just to clarify, is that each position or for the two positions? Thank you.
• <01:49:28.679> in $200,000 $100,000 for each position in $200,000 $100,000 for each position

Keywords: 910, house, all