Transcript Highlights:

• It's a significant cultural venue and community arts center. connected communities.
• <00:14:25.120> voice, stewardship, equity, community voice, stewardship, equity, community
• We believe it's community impact.
• How does the community know?
• How does the community talking about? How does the community know?

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:

• The LGBTQ+ community is proud to have a long history working with the Latino community to overcome impossible
• Latinos within the LGBTQ+ community have long been torchbearers in our community, helping guide the way
• Latinos within the LGBTQ+ community have long been torchbearers in our community, helping guide the way
• for ...community have long been torchbearers in our community, helping guide the way for all members
• , and understanding that when workers do well in their communities, the whole community does well.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then spent much of the session on floor recognitions. Members welcomed the Far West Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and honored its leadership and civic service, including wildfire recovery work and local chapter anniversaries. The body also recognized the 2026 Latino Spirit Award honorees, with remarks tied to Cinco de Mayo and Latino resilience, followed by a series of resolutions and guest introductions. Several resolutions were adopted, including SR 86 on Cinco de Mayo Week, SCR 146 declaring May Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, SCR 154 establishing Green Star Veterans and Families Day, SCR 123 recognizing California Peace Officers Memorial Day, SCR 164 designating Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, and SCR 103 on Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Testimony and remarks emphasized cultural heritage, shared struggles for justice, veterans’ mental health and suicide prevention, law enforcement sacrifice, and persistent racial health disparities. Most resolutions passed by unanimous roll call votes. The Senate also confirmed multiple Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation appointments, including Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, Jason Johnson, Madeline McLean, Brian Bishop, and Sarah Larson. Senators Grove and others voiced protest over CDCR appointments, arguing for consideration of Frank Silva, but the confirmations still passed overwhelmingly or unanimously. The chamber then approved several bills, including SB 1159 on artificial intelligence and public meetings, SB 1416 shortening refund timelines for duplicate medical/dental payments, SB 1273 expanding tied-house advertising rules for winery instructional events, SB 941 limiting commissary markups in private detention facilities, SB 1099 clarifying local authority to provide public benefits, SB 1195 expanding tied-house exemptions for certain venues, and SB 990 allowing a highway information sign near Ridgecrest. The session concluded with adjournment memories for labor leader and UCLA Labor Center director Kent Wong and recognition of his family and colleagues.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I guess our greatest barrier, outside of the community employers, and Outside of the community employers
• So I guess our greatest barrier outside of the community employers, and outside of the community employers
• We utilize that within our community—community block parties, rodeo events, and any organization having
• So we utilize that within our community, community block parties, rodeo events, when any organization
• Community.

Keywords: 914, all

Summary: The committee/task force met with several disability service providers to discuss integrated employment, transition services, and barriers to community jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Robin Arder and Belinda Stevens of ThinkAbility described creating their own businesses when community employers were not hiring their clients, and said rigid service rules, employer readiness, bullying, and reimbursement structures often force the person to fit the service rather than the service fitting the person. They said they have not seen clients lose benefits, but they do closely manage reporting to Social Security and related supports. Tina Hannah of South Central Industries described a broad business model that includes manufacturing, janitorial work, city beautification, state-use contracts, a food truck, and an entertainment trailer, along with an adult day program and residential services. She said many employers are hesitant because of productivity and cost concerns, and that businesses are often more open to contracting with her agency than hiring individuals directly. Miranda Figueroa of A New Leaf said her agency is moving toward a more person-centered model with sheltered work, volunteer sites, paid contracts, and a Transition Academy. She said the academy is a two-year program focused first on independent living and then on employment, with internships and an 85% placement rate, but funding is a major barrier because the program is not accredited and students cannot access traditional aid. She also cited dual diagnoses, inconsistent job coaches, and employer uncertainty as major obstacles. Angela Decker and Deborah Copeland of DRTC described DRTC’s long-running enclave contracts, a new Community Skills and Connections program, and a plan to phase out 14(c) subminimum wage use by the end of the year. They said the new program is designed to keep people engaged in community-based skill-building and networking while families still need day supports, and that DRTC has developed more than 100 community partnerships. Senator Kirt, Rep. Hefner, and participants discussed broader system issues, including the need for better school-to-work transition, more social integration, transportation, safety, and employer education. DRS staff said the agency is already required to provide pre-employment transition services in schools starting at age 14 and offers employer accommodations support and job-carving assistance, though they acknowledged federal reporting expectations and service rules can be restrictive. Several participants raised concerns about line-of-sight restrictions, congregate living rules, benefit cliffs, and the difficulty of moving from DDS to DRS services. The group also discussed the need for better data and possible working groups focused on in-school transition, program support and blending services, and community integration. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...communities.
• They are programs that disproportionately affect underserved communities, help underserved communities
• Islanders communities.
• I also serve as the Community Relations Manager at San Francisco Community Health Center.
• Part of my job is to work with the farm workers community and on behalf of the indigenous Mexican community

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing that schools, and communities.
• what it would mean to our communities what it would mean to our communities and<00:10:30.720>
• the fact that our immigrant community the fact that our immigrant community was<00:19:53.360>
• is out there and our community is out there and our community organizers<00:21:00.320> have
• and communities of color.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Lawmakers and advocates from the POCI Caucus held a news conference focused on protecting recent DFL-enacted policies in a newly divided Legislature. They highlighted accomplishments from the last biennium, including earned sick and safe time, ethnic studies, unemployment insurance changes, environmental protections, and MinnesotaCare coverage for undocumented immigrants, and argued these measures should not be rolled back in budget negotiations. Speakers said Republicans were pushing cuts or carveouts that would disproportionately harm Black, brown, immigrant, women, and low-income communities, and they urged the House and Governor Walz to reject those changes. A major theme was opposition to proposed carveouts to earned sick and safe time. Amanda Otero of TakeAction Minnesota said the proposed changes would remove benefits from more than 100,000 workers based on employer size, and lawmakers said sick leave should be universal. Another major topic was MinnesotaCare for undocumented immigrants. Representative María Isa Pérez Vega, Council Member Jason Chavez, and others argued the program is affordable, reduces uncompensated emergency care, and improves public health by expanding preventive care. Chavez and Emilia Gonzalez Avalos shared personal stories about family members who benefited from health coverage and said cutting access would worsen disparities and hurt families and communities. The event also included remarks on ethnic studies and historical memory. Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura connected the Ethnic Studies for All Act to her family’s experience with Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and Sally Sudo described her family’s removal and imprisonment under Executive Order 9066. Speakers framed these stories as warnings against scapegoating and exclusion. In the question-and-answer portion, lawmakers said they were still in negotiations but emphasized that certain protections were non-negotiable and that any compromises should be distributed equitably rather than targeting specific groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are proud to have you here in our community.
• Of our community for the last eight years.
• If you have robust logistics, you're going to have a great community. Community. Mr.
• We were lied to as a community.
• Access safe housing in their communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• When that system breaks down, it is community like hours that pay the price.
• Our community should not have to conduct their own testing or work.
• There's a lot of remote communities.
• But for some of these small rural communities and these low-income communities that really need the assistance
• The state funded $10 million to give this community that had...

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions heard SB 1131, which would update the Debt Collection Licensing Act by directing the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation to conduct examinations remotely unless an on-site review is needed, and by allowing the department to rely on recent audits or examinations from other regulators or approved third parties. The bill’s supporters, including representatives of the debt collection industry, said it would reduce duplicative work and lower compliance costs while preserving consumer protections. One opposition witness from the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition said there were still concerns, and the chair noted the need to protect the underlying consumer policy goals. The committee voted do pass and re-refer the bill to Appropriations; it was later confirmed out of committee on a 7-0 vote with absent members added on call. The committee also heard SB 1291, the “Shine Act,” which would increase transparency and accountability for mutual water company boards by eliminating 24-hour written notice requirements for board meetings, requiring websites with basic information and water quality reports, and directing a comparative analysis of mutual water companies serving disadvantaged communities. Supporters, including community and public health advocates, described problems in Southeast Los Angeles and other areas where residents said they lacked access to board information, notices, and timely water quality disclosures. The California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed the bill unless amended, arguing it imposed unfunded mandates, assumed broadband and administrative capacity that many small systems do not have, and could push consolidation. After discussion about transparency and the needs of small systems, the committee voted do pass and re-refer the bill to Environmental Quality; it was later confirmed out of committee on a 7-0 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, that's great, but most community college students and community colleges largely exist because
• California Community Colleges, all in strong support.
• We've got community colleges, outstanding community colleges all over the valley, that are precluded
• was an orchard farming community.
• If we have community colleges offering bachelor's degrees, we have, If we have community colleges offering

Summary: The committee first heard SB 998, which would clarify and expand school discrimination prevention coordinator roles, including new coordinators focused on disability and anti-AAPI discrimination. The author and supporters said the bill would strengthen school climate, provide clearer guidance and training, and help schools address discrimination before it escalates. Support came from education, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ groups, while some witnesses expressed support if amended but raised concerns about gubernatorial appointments and preferred civil service hiring. Several senators debated whether the bill duplicated existing protections and whether it diverted attention from academic priorities, but the chair and coauthors emphasized it as follow-up legislation tied to prior civil rights commitments. The committee voted SB 998 out on a due pass motion to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the bill was placed on call. The committee then took up SB 1082, which would streamline inter-district transfer appeals by requiring faster district action, concurrent review, and clearer notice when applications are incomplete. The author and sponsor said families often face long delays and inconsistent practices, and supporters argued the bill would improve fairness and reduce administrative burden without changing local approval authority. The California School Boards Association had an oppose-unless-amended position but said it was re-evaluating after amendments, and some other groups said they were removing opposition. The committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended motion to the Senate Appropriations Committee and placed it on call. Next, the committee heard SB 960 on community college baccalaureate degrees. The author argued the bill would create a statewide framework allowing community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in unmet workforce areas when CSU programs are unavailable or effectively inaccessible because of impaction, while also limiting growth so community colleges do not drift from their core mission. Supporters said the bill would expand access for place-bound students and align with workforce needs, while CSU and faculty opponents warned it could duplicate programs, affect faculty jobs, and worsen pressure on the CSU system. Members debated the master plan, impaction, funding inequities, and whether the bill would siphon students from CSU. The committee ultimately moved SB 960 out on a due pass as amended motion to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the bill was placed on call. Finally, Senator Blakespear presented SB 965, which would make it easier for 16- and 17-year-olds to obtain public library cards without a parent or guardian physically present. The author and her son described inconsistent local rules and said the bill would reduce barriers while preserving local library policies on checkout and liability. The transcript ended during testimony on SB 965, before any committee vote or further action was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• and have community people in...
• What's going on in their communities and those folks that are living, working, and have community people
• in their communities.
• It's really a guideline to kind of help the community, you know, if a community decides that they want
• With peers and community health workers.

Bills: HB1

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• , those who not only build our communities in agriculture, those who build our communities in construction
• community as well.
• Sikh communities in California.
• I rise in support of my community.
• And not just the Asian Pacific Islander community, but in all communities.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This Kiti community hall is a community-driven project conceived and led by homestead beneficiaries to
• This Kiti community hall is a community-driven project conceived and led by homestead beneficiaries to
• for the county community association.
• for the county community association.
• for the county community association.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Hawaiian Affairs heard several Department of Hawaiian Home Lands measures. SB 2635 would appropriate funds for DHHL land development, land purchases, and mortgage or rental subsidies to address the wait list; DHHL and five supporters testified in favor, and the committee later recommended passage with amendments, including a date defect, with the measure adopted as amended. SB 2924 would authorize funding for a capital improvement project for the Kaneili Community Hall, access road, and parking lot; DHHL stood on testimony in support, Randall Ao and another online testifier spoke in favor, and the committee later amended the bill to shift the funding structure from general obligation bonds to general funds before passing it. SB 3127 would raise the state liability cap for DHHL-related borrowing and guaranteed loans from $100 million to $500 million; DHHL testified, no other testimony was offered, and the committee passed it with amendments, including a date defect. The committee also heard SB 3248, which establishes labor requirements for Aleha Products. No testifier from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Board was present, and there was no additional testimony or questions during the hearing. During decision-making, the chair noted there was both support and some opposition but recommended passage with amendments, including a date defect, and the committee adopted the recommendation unanimously. The meeting concluded after all three decision-making votes were completed and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:22.839> all topic that is impacting communities all topic that is impacting communities
• <00:10:47.440> development zoning person or a community development zoning person or a community
• need<00:30:48.320> to communities that our communities need to communities that our communities
• <00:36:27.560> compared backbone of their communities compared backbone of their communities
• <00:41:52.599> the it it tries to give uh communities the it it tries to give uh communities

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that it's that binding agent for a connected community, and when that connected community starts
• It is actually created so that every community can speak to what makes their community special.
• In communities like ours, rural communities, cultural districts are far more than placemaking initiatives
• They are my community. They're my life.
• We cannot afford to lose those community services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's when a community can get into significant trouble.
• A lot of those are not necessarily entrance-fee communities.
• A lot of those are not necessarily entrance-fee communities.
• They encourage affiliations if the community is weaker.
• They encourage affiliations if the community is weaker.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met at Brookhaven at Lexington to continue discussing continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), with a focus on financial viability, entrance fees, refund policies, and how the industry is evolving. Speakers explained that nonprofit CCRCs have shifted away from building entirely new campuses since the 2008 financial crisis, and now more often grow through expansions, affiliations, mergers, or added home- and community-based services. They also noted that many newer CCRCs, especially nationwide, are being built without on-campus skilled nursing, relying instead on assisted living, memory care, or off-site arrangements, and that zoning and local approval can affect expansion plans. A substantial portion of the discussion centered on financial health and consumer protection. Panelists said the most important indicators of a strong CCRC are high occupancy, strong liquidity, and reinvestment in the property, with low occupancy and declining days cash on hand cited as warning signs. They described how actuarial reviews are used to estimate health care utilization and set pricing, and said staffing shortages are often a bigger financial pressure than resident care utilization itself. On refunds, speakers said entrance-fee refunds are generally paid when a unit is resold and the new entrance fee is received, and that resident refunds are usually protected even in bankruptcy, though residents are unsecured creditors. Massachusetts examples such as Reed’s Landing and the Groves were cited as cases where residents remained in place and refunds were ultimately protected. The group also discussed a pending disclosure bill on Beacon Hill related to entrance fees and refund transparency. LeadingAge Massachusetts said it supports clearer disclosure so residents understand refund provisions, and reported that among surveyed member CCRCs, the average time to provide an entrance-fee refund over the past two years was about 117 days. Participants emphasized the need to balance consumer protection with preserving the financial stability of the communities. The commission also reviewed upcoming dates: a virtual public hearing/listening session on June 16, the next commission meeting on June 23, and a later discussion planned on consumer rights, protections, and advertising practices. The meeting concluded with introductions of commission members and an invitation for attendees to tour the Brookhaven campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• community.
• community.
• The community said no, let's invest it into the community.
• with the community.
• <02:07:37.679> was communication with the community DCR was communication with the community

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on House Bill 433, which would appropriate $4 million for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the governor’s executive budget already includes $4 million for the same purpose and asked that the measure defer to that budget. Supporters, including the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the ACLU, backed the funding but urged that it be tied to a clear re-entry plan, performance measures, transparency, and regular reporting to the legislature. They emphasized that re-entry should begin at intake and involve community partnerships, housing, treatment, employment, and family reunification services. Committee members questioned the department about current re-entry services, pre-trial detainees, and how the new funds would be used. Johnson said the department’s current statewide re-entry budget is about $1.5 million to $1.7 million, separate from the larger Corrections Program Services Division budget for in-facility programs. He described the proposed $4 million as supporting a mix of services, including a pilot apprenticeship program, substance abuse treatment, navigator or warm-handoff services, and short-term transitional housing. He also said the department already tracks performance outcomes in its annual report and can provide a matrix showing the intake-to-discharge process, program contracts, and volunteer organizations. The discussion also covered pre-trial detainees, electronic monitoring, and mental health services. Johnson said the department has limited jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees but works with courts to seek supervised release when possible; he noted that many requests are denied, though electronic monitoring has improved release rates somewhat. On mental health, he said the jail is not an ideal therapeutic setting for people found unfit to proceed and suggested a secure community-based step-down facility run by the Department of Health for those needing care above what the jail can provide but below forensic-level treatment. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We urge your support for our low-income communities. in communities of color. Thank you so much.
• across California communities of color and other vulnerable communities.
• Under the Community Supports Program, Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans can voluntarily opt in to cover community
• This evaluation will measure the uptake of community supports and assess the impact of community supports
• Definitions and the criteria for four community supports, including nursing facility diversion, community

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Development Corporation, and a nonprofit community development can use that funding for community events
• support the local community in multiple ways: year-round community programming, vending opportunity for
• The community benefits include the community fund, the year-round multi-purpose room, and the broader
• that can be reserved for community that can be reserved for community events.<00:01:53.040> Uh
• counties and surrounding communities. counties and surrounding communities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ivan Harrell, president of Tacoma Community College.
• and a member from the labor community.
• The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence is affectionately known as the Oscars in the community
• And you know that community college education helps combat racism.
• So we know that the community college creates citizens, ethical community members.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's the same from community to community, if I understand your question. Okay. All right.
• Some communities stretch it out.
• I same from Community to community if I same from Community to community if I understand<00:38:12.160
• Not every community is like some of the communities in the southern part of the state that might have
• Not every community is like some of the communities in the southern part of the state that might have

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They create jobs and support our communities in every single corner... our communities in every single
• For far too long, working-class immigrant communities and communities of color have been forced to bear
• It was a warning about what happens when communities safeguards and resources are Communities' safeguards
• They impact entire communities.
• Our communities can't do it alone.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 1012, house, all