Bills: SB2060, SB2063, SB2062, SB2069, SB2070

Keywords: rental housing revolving fund, HHFDC, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, mixed-income housing, mixed-income rental project, affordable housing, low-income housing, housing finance, housing development, preservation, rehabilitation, pre-development, construction financing, equity investment, credit enhancement, collateral, gap financing, area median income, AMI, perpetual affordability

Summary: The committee heard five housing measures, with the chair announcing that SB 2060, SB 2063, SB 2062, and SB 2069 were works in progress and that decision-making would be deferred to February 3. SB 2060 would allow HHFDC, with Finance approval, to transfer money within the rental housing revolving fund and its subaccounts without further legislative authorization, including a transfer to the mixed-income subaccount for FY 2026-2027. HHFDC and other supporters said the change would give the agency more flexibility to move projects forward, while Catholic Charities Hawaii and a testifier from Roars and Cares supported the bill but warned that shifting money away from lower-income housing could weaken efforts to serve households under 80% of area median income and people at risk of homelessness. HHFDC said the fund’s uncommitted balance was about $100 million and that demand exceeded available resources. SB 2063 would revise the mixed-income subaccount by changing project priorities, adding new criteria, allowing transfers within the subaccount without legislative approval, and directing conveyance tax revenues into the subaccount. HHFDC, OPSD, LURF, Hawaii Appleseed, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Stanford Carr Development, and Roars and Cares supported the measure, while Catholic Charities urged the committee to keep rental and for-sale housing policy separate and to use other mechanisms for homeownership. Catholic Charities said the rental housing revolving fund should remain focused on rentals, and that for-sale initiatives should be addressed separately. The chair indicated an intent to defer the bill for further edits. SB 2062 would make the dwelling unit revolving fund equity pilot a permanent HHFDC program, allowing the agency to buy equity in for-sale developments to lower initial purchase prices and require repayment through shared appreciation. HHFDC said the pilot had been successful, with 83 units committed and $7.6 million of the $10 million program cap already committed, and said permanence would let the agency pair the program with DERF loans earlier in project financing. The chair said SB 2069 would be used as the vehicle for amendments to the DERF equity program and related changes. SB 2069 would authorize HHFDC to use existing dwelling unit revolving fund balances for the equity pilot; it drew support from HHFDC and several housing organizations. SB 2070 would create a permanently affordable for-sale housing program by replacing the current 10-year buyback restriction with a resale price cap tied to an appreciation index, which HHFDC said would preserve affordability while allowing owners to build equity. In questioning, senators pressed HHFDC on whether the bill was necessary, whether it would remove first-time homebuyer and other ownership restrictions, and whether the new program was truly “permanently affordable” if not tied to AMI. HHFDC said the current statutory restrictions limit flexibility, that the proposal would expand access to local residents, and that the price cap would be based on about 4.5% annual appreciation. Supporters said the approach would help buyers move up the housing ladder, while some senators expressed concern that it could open the program to owners of multiple properties and that the committee should see sales-velocity data on existing restricted units before proceeding.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:13:47.840> without included eligibility for workers without included eligibility for workers
• income workers income workers pay<01:14:17.239> compared<01:14:17.639> to<01:14:17.840
• <01:15:15.320> sitting afford to have potential workers sitting afford to have potential workers
• <01:15:29.679> we Family Credit to uh younger workers we Family Credit to uh younger workers
• Who's going to be that next worker? Who's going to be that next entrepreneur?

Bills: HF1698, HF632, HF1352, HF2197, HF618, HF1248, HF1697

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 68, Water Districts Funds for Maintenance Projects.
• Uh, we've got here is Senate File 68, Water Districts Funds for Maintenance Projects.
• Senate File 68, Water Districts Funds for Maintenance Projects.

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Bills: HF1355, HF78, HF1846, HF1225

Keywords: commercial diving, scuba diving safety, aquatic plant management, workplace safety, environmental regulations, HF78, Minnesota veterans, veteran retreats, Camp Bliss, Walker, Independent Lifestyles Inc., Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans affairs grant, general fund appropriation, family members, spouse, domestic partner, children, therapy, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• , behavior workers, security psychologists, chemical dependency staff, and teachers.
• Costs of licensed counselors, nurses, social workers, behavior workers, security psychologists, chemical
• ,<01:35:46.080> nurses, psychologists, social workers, nurses, psychologists, social workers
• Um next up, Christy McCoy, school social workers.
• Um next up, Christy McCoy, school social workers.

Bills: HF3653, HF2717, HF3451, HF3857

Keywords: education finance, safe schools revenue, school safety, charter schools, funding, safe schools, school security, school levy, pupil units, safe schools aid, cooperative units, intermediate school district, school resource officer, peace officer liaison, sheriff liaison, drug abuse prevention, gang resistance education, violence prevention, suicide prevention, mental health services

Summary: The committee first adopted the March 3rd minutes by voice vote after Representative Lee moved them and there was no discussion. Members then reviewed hearing rules on decorum, safety, and participation before taking testimony from Dr. James Densley and Dr. Jillian Peterson of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center at Hamline University. The presenters summarized research on mass shootings and K-12 school shootings, drawing on a database of homicides in school settings from 2000 to 2025 and a smaller set of 15 K-12 mass shooting cases. They said school shooters are usually insiders, most often current or former students, and typically young males. They described common patterns including a noticeable crisis before attacks, perpetrators viewing the shooting as a final act, studying prior shooters online, and “leakage” in which most tell someone in advance. They also emphasized that many perpetrators use unsecured firearms from family members and argued that prevention should combine reporting systems, behavioral threat assessment, counseling, mentoring, secure storage, and other layered interventions rather than rely on a single solution. The presenters also discussed broader violence trends in the Twin Cities, saying much school violence is spillover from community violence and that pandemic-era disruptions and weakened trust in institutions contributed to serious violence. They cited a national survey finding that exposure to gun violence is associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and fear of public spaces, especially among young people. During member questions, Representative Wam asked for clarification on the data set and the rural/small-town share of the survey sample.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the maintenance of it.
• . maintenance. maintenance.
• grant dollars on major maintenance. grant dollars on major maintenance.
• ,<00:31:30.360> routine<00:31:30.760> maintenance, major maintenance, routine maintenance
• , major maintenance, routine maintenance, maintenance<00:31:31.680> taken<00:31:31.960> care

Bills: HB0034, HB0035, HB0036, HB0106

Keywords: HB0034, Wyoming retirement system, Wyoming Retirement Act, firefighter retirement, public employee retirement, retirement benefits, state pension, wildland firefighting, wildland firefighter, crash and rescue, Wyoming National Guard, Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Retirement Board, correctional forestry crew, correctional crew supervisor, correctional forestry crew manager, general fund appropriation, state agency employees, service credit, benefit eligibility

Bills: HB0034, HB0035, HB0036, HB0106

Keywords: HB0034, Wyoming retirement system, Wyoming Retirement Act, firefighter retirement, public employee retirement, retirement benefits, state pension, wildland firefighting, wildland firefighter, crash and rescue, Wyoming National Guard, Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming Retirement Board, correctional forestry crew, correctional crew supervisor, correctional forestry crew manager, general fund appropriation, state agency employees, service credit, benefit eligibility

Bills: HB87, HB96, HB28, HB87, HB96, HB28

Keywords: HB87, Marengo County, coroner, deputy coroner, county commission, expense allowance, mileage allowance, travel reimbursement, local act, local legislation, county general fund, public official compensation, county office, Section 45-46-60, Alabama Code, salary increase, allowance increase, National Signing Day, athletic scholarships, military enlistment

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what led to this bill is our local Alabama base maintenance and repair overhaul companies at our
• airports that do maintenance and refurbishing on commercial aircraft.

Bills: HB61, HB327, HB253, HB297

Keywords: home school, career and technical education, public schools, K-12 education, enrollment policy, parental leave, state employees, adoption, employee benefits, aircraft tax, aviation tax, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, lease tax, rental tax, commercial aircraft, air carrier, airline, aircraft parts, maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• sense: from these 32 providers, they have almost a thousand vacancies today for their direct care workers
• incentivized the providers so that the more money you got, the money then went to the direct care worker
• And it's not just, I mean, partly it's maintenance.
• And it's not just, I mean, partly it's maintenance.
• one of the things we need to keep in mind is this has a direct impact on the everyday blue-collar worker

Bills: SB1072, SB1111, SB1114, SB1116, SB1122, SB1179, SB1250, SB1308, SB1455, SB1456, SB1457, SB1487, SB1547, SB1549, SB1551, SB1552

Keywords: reimbursement rates, intellectual disabilities, community services, economic security, funding appropriations, automated license plate readers, law enforcement, privacy, data access, public records, behavioral health, patient brokering, appropriation, state funds, Maricopa County, claims review, medical necessity, American Indian health program, healthcare regulations, healthcare

Summary: The committee first approved the February 3, 2026 minutes and reordered the agenda to accommodate sponsors and speakers. SB 1114, which would appropriate $1 million to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to investigate behavioral health patient brokering statewide, was presented as a response to Medicaid fraud and exploitation of vulnerable Native American patients. After brief questions about why Maricopa County would handle statewide oversight, the bill received a do pass recommendation on a 9-0 vote with one member not voting. The committee then took up SB 1111, as amended by a strike-everything amendment regulating automated license plate readers. The amendment limited use to specified law enforcement purposes, required verification of alerts when feasible, imposed data-retention and handling responsibilities on agencies, and created a misdemeanor penalty for unauthorized release of data. Supporters from Phoenix, Tempe, Prescott Valley, the Arizona Chiefs of Police, and the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association argued the bill provides needed statewide guardrails while preserving a valuable investigative tool for missing persons, stolen vehicles, and serious crimes. Opponents from the ACLU, Institute for Justice, and private citizens raised privacy and Fourth Amendment concerns, warning about dragnet surveillance, unclear terms like “legitimate” law enforcement purposes, lack of public access to records, and the risk of misuse for immigration or abortion-related tracking. The committee adopted the amendment and then gave SB 1111 as amended a do pass recommendation on a 7-2 vote, with one not voting. Next, SB 1116, as amended, was approved. The bill requires appeals or adverse determinations on behavioral health claims under AHCCCS fee-for-service to be reviewed by someone with relevant clinical experience, and the amendment broadened the requirement to include medical-necessity denials and specified at least two years of similar clinical experience. Senator Werner said the measure was intended to curb inappropriate denials and improve payment for behavioral health providers serving Native communities. Access was neutral but said the bill’s terms were too broad and could require additional staff; the committee nonetheless adopted the amendment and passed the bill 10-0. Finally, SB 1122, as amended, was approved 10-0. The bill bars AHCCCS from requiring prior authorization for behavioral health services under the American Indian Health Plan, while the amendment prohibited 100% prepayment review and adjusted the corrective-action language. Senator Werner and provider representatives said the measure was needed because providers were being delayed or denied payment, contributing to closures, workforce shortages, and patient brokering. The committee then began hearing SB 1072, a major appropriation to increase reimbursement rates for home- and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with testimony focused on severe caregiver shortages, overtime costs, and unassigned service authorizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Kingsville that we previously voted out relating to the inclusion of information about construction or maintenance
• Services as such payroll benefit administration workers compensation and regulatory compliance under
• creating uncertainty about the PEO's continuing status as a co-employer for unemployment . . . taxes, workers
• ' comp, and workers' benefits.

Bills: HB2450, SB378, SB764, SB917, SB1254, SB1255

Keywords: elevator inspection, building safety, construction standards, health and safety code, regulatory requirements, SB 378, Texas Occupations Code, barbering, cosmetology, barber, cosmetologist, licensing, professional licensing, unauthorized practice, medical procedures, skin incision, dermis, injections, devices, consumer safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, House Bill 2138 defines firefighter for the purposes of workers' compensation coverage
• Chair, members, House Bill 2138 defines firefighter for the purposes of workers' compensation coverage
• do some cleanup, and that would ensure that firefighters, as well as police officers, are extended workers
• This bill is a cleanup measure that clarifies the original intent of the law regarding workers' compensation
• Chairman, Senator Leach, this bill doesn't touch those qualifications, so anything that would deny workers

Bills: HB2089, HB2090, HB2092, HB2120, HB2138, HB2173, HB2273, HB2693, HB2786

Keywords: retirement benefits, health insurance, premium payment, Arizona State Retirement System, contingent annuitant, long-term disability, benefits limitations, disability compensation, social security, retirement system, elected officials, ASRS, eligibility waiver, age 65, property tax exemption, disability, veterans, widows, income limits, Arizona Revised Statutes

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to consider several bills and two Arizona State Retirement System nominees. It first passed House Bill 2173, which allows taxpayers and tax officers to communicate electronically about proposed property tax corrections or claims, with an acknowledgement required when responses are sent electronically. The committee then recommended confirmation of Thomas J. Connolly and Charles Essex to the ASRS Board, both receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support after brief introductions and no substantive opposition. The committee next approved several ASRS-related bills: House Bill 2089 clarifies that the ASRS health insurance premium subsidy applies only when coverage is not already subsidized; House Bill 2090 changes the disability definition tied to long-term disability benefits by removing the requirement that the 24 months occur within a five-year period; and House Bill 2092 shifts the 30-day waiver window for certain members age 65 or older from the date of hire to the date they become eligible to participate. All three passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes. The committee also passed House Bill 2120, with a technical amendment, allowing Social Security Administration disability determination letters to be used to certify eligibility for the property tax exemption for persons with disabilities. House Bill 2693 drew the most debate. It revises Arizona’s bona fide association health plan and multiple employer welfare arrangement provisions to align with ERISA rather than the rescinded 2018 federal AHP rule, and an amendment added a feasibility study by the Arizona Department of Administration on state employee and school district health plans. Supporters argued the bill would expand affordable, voluntary coverage options for small businesses and increase buying power; opponents raised concerns about consumer protections, preexisting conditions, and the history of association health plans. The committee ultimately passed the bill as amended on a 5-1 vote. Later, the committee passed House Bill 2138, which clarifies that workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters traveling directly to or from work applies to state, municipal, fire district, and fire authority firefighters. It also passed House Bill 2273, a one-time $300 income tax rebate for certain Pinal County residents funded from remaining escrowed transportation-related monies; members discussed whether the remaining funds should instead be directed to roads, but the bill advanced on a 3-2 vote. Finally, House Bill 2786 passed unanimously, exempting rental income from required college textbooks from transaction privilege tax under the personal property rental classification.

Transcript Highlights:

• This custom network provides more limited choices to their workers.
• Stokes, I'm a workers' compensation attorney. ...carrier, self-insured, and employers in the workers'
• What we're doing here is simply making a semantic change, converting those maintenance taxes for workers
• And the workers' compensation and all those things delay us.
• So going back to that worker maintenance department over at the school district, hypothetically in the

Bills: HB875, HB1667, HB2369, HB3844, HB4415, HB4479, HB4483, HB4676, HB5118, HB5400, HB5545

Keywords: workers' compensation, municipal construction, bidding requirements, small municipalities, contracting policies, first responders, PTSD, mental health, emergency services, medical expenses, injury claims, insurance carriers, opportunity youth, workforce development, employment, education, federal funds, employment discrimination, immunity waiver, public employees

Bills: HF1917, HF1083, HF367

Keywords: data practices, public official, transparency, government accountability, employment data, domestic abuse, domestic violence, battered women, victim advocate, advocacy, confidentiality, privilege, evidence law, witness privilege, court-ordered disclosure, shelter, crisis intervention, sexual assault counselor, victim services, protective services

Transcript Highlights:

• , but also incredible native and tribal social workers serving families every day.
• I want to also express my concern that social workers were not involved in the process.
• Will it get social workers into the state of New Mexico? Mr.
• then become traveling social workers, much like we have traveling nurses?
• Speaker, gentlelady, every social worker will have to have a home state. Mr.

Bills: HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM18, HM21, HB10, HB11, HB12, HB13, HB14, HB31, HB50

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Bills: HB1427, SB1403, SB1448, SB1489, SB1546, SB1557, SB1614, SB1377, SB1990, SB1439, SB1630, SB1632, SB1696, SB1796, SB1824, SB1362, SB1849, SB2066, SB2071, SB2104, SB933, SB1633, SB1224, SB1246, SB1280, SB1303, SB1346

Keywords: tax credit, clean-burning fuel, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, environmental impact, vehicle modification, renewable energy, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, deceptive practices, exemptions, statutory exemptions, Corporation Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if we want to educate workers in our economy, why would we intentionally make higher education unaffordable
• This proposes to repeal the Advisory Council on Workers' Compensation, another one of those entities
• Workers' Compensation Commission? Is that correct? Thank you for the question. Yes. Follow up.
• This is part of, you know, the slow reform over several years of workers' comp and moving everything

Bills: HB1427, SB1403, SB1448, SB1489, SB1546, SB1557, SB1614, SB1377, SB1990, SB1439, SB1630, SB1632, SB1696, SB1796, SB1824, SB1362, SB1849, SB2066, SB2071, SB2104, SB933, SB1633, SB1224, SB1246, SB1280, SB1303, SB1346

Keywords: tax credit, clean-burning fuel, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, environmental impact, vehicle modification, renewable energy, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, deceptive practices, exemptions, statutory exemptions, Corporation Commission

Bills: SB64, HB249

Keywords: SB64, Alabama, state waters, public waters, aquatic plants, aquatic vegetation, lake management, waterway maintenance, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, commercial contractors, vegetation removal, mowing aquatic plants, uprooting plants, Class C misdemeanor, fine, water quality, invasive species, lakes

Transcript Highlights:

• cost of them, or peg it to some kind of per-unit cost for maintenance fee?
• cost of them, or peg it to some kind of per-unit cost for maintenance fee?
• or the maintenance cost of them<01:35:29.360> or<01:35:30.080> peg<01:35:30.320> it
• I I I'm I'm cost for maintenance fee?
• Okay, moving on to HB 2164 HD1 relating to workers' compensation.

Bills: HB1984, HB1593, HB2423, HB1691, HB2283, HB2386, HB1824, HB1697, HB2164, HB2165

Keywords: renewable energy, solar energy, self-certification, building permits, environmental regulations, HB1593, affordable housing, pet-inclusive housing, pet friendly housing, rental housing, affordable rental housing, HHFDC, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, tenant pets, companion animals, dogs, cats, landlord-tenant law, security deposit, pet deposit

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1984 HD2, which would require government entities issuing building permits to create a self-certification process for certain behind-the-meter rooftop solar and energy storage systems, allowing approved applicants to proceed without waiting for standard permit review. The Public Utilities Commission and DLNR offered comments, and the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, Holoholo Energy, Photon Works Engineering, Malama Solar, RevoluSun, and others testified in strong support. Supporters said the bill would reduce permitting delays, lower costs, and help meet Hawaii’s renewable energy goals while still relying on licensed engineers, electricians, and county inspections for safety. Committee members asked about risk, existing county pilot programs, and whether self-certification had been used before; witnesses said the professional liability remains with licensed signers and that current automated review systems often flag minor issues that slow projects. The committee also noted 16 additional written testimonies in support. The committee then took up HB 1593 HD1, which would require HHFDC-financed affordable rental housing projects to allow residents to own or keep common household pets. The Hawaiian Humane Society testified that the bill is a top priority because housing restrictions are a major reason pets are surrendered and because many unhoused residents with pets avoid housing that does not allow animals. In response to questions, the Humane Society said concerns about pet-related damage are overstated, suggested pet behavior screening as a safeguard, and said it would be willing to work on broader private-market pet-friendly housing policies. Members raised concerns about whether allowing pets in public housing could create problems for residents who later transition to the private market, and the witness said California has a similar law and no major negative effects had been identified. Finally, the committee heard HB 2423 HD2, which would require that by January 1, 2028, diesel fuel sold in Hawaii for on-highway vehicles contain at least 5% biodiesel by volume. The Hawaii State Energy Office offered comments, and Hawaii Transportation Association and Pacific Biodiesel Technologies testified in support. Pacific Biodiesel argued the mandate would improve energy security, stabilize fuel prices amid global supply disruptions, and support local clean-fuel production. In response to questions, the company said its nameplate capacity is 5.5 million gallons per year and it has produced over 6 million gallons annually, but much of its output is tied up in standby generator contracts that can fluctuate. Witnesses said the mandate would provide a stable market signal and could support future investment in expanded local biodiesel production, including agricultural feedstock development and a possible second refinery. No votes or final actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.