Transcript Highlights:

• I don't want to delay your time. I don't want to waste your time.
• Gun-free zones are attractions and destinations for mass shooters time and time again.
• I was gone all<02:00:05.840> the<02:00:06.080> time all the time all the time knowing<02
• thank you all for your time. thank you all for your time.
• I understand that my time is time today.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > for so much for your time today and for so much for your time today and for considering<00:10
• natural gas you know a lot of times natural gas you know a lot of times people<00:20:45.679>
• <00:42:01.800> as are not cheap I hope that over time as are not cheap I hope that over time
• oh well you're the first one every time oh well you're the first one every time I<01:02:58.599><
• thank you very much for your time thank you very much for your time commissioner<01:09:09.679>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• means for us in terms of our responsibility to our constituents in these very uneasy and unsteady times
• AB 357, Alvarez, coastal zone student and faculty housing: do pass out on a roll call.
• AB 382, Berman, school zone speed limits: do pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 1455, Bryan, zone zero regulations: do pass as amended to strike the certified regulatory program
• AB 261, Quirk-Silva, fire hazard severity zones: do pass out on an A roll call.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• at that time. at that time.
• pieces at the same time. pieces at the same time.
• There's still lots of time to work on things as things go.
• They to reduce travel times for riders.
• We talked about that a little same time.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So the county's at this time understanding hat take issue with this bill.
• They usually give them the zoning requirement.
• That's people that are there at all times.
• These areas are already zoned where you can have multi-family properties.
• So I am uncomfortable with that piece of the time at this time, especially since the dentists are against

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:45.440> we noted this is absolutely the time we noted this is absolutely the time we
• they'd like to see from a zoning they'd like to see from a zoning perspective.<00:18:58.400>
• value adding we usually get 10 times value adding we usually get 10 times plus<00:21:10.000>
• how many full-time jobs, how many<00:29:18.480> part-time<00:29:18.960> jobs,<00:29:19.520
• So it really is for the older homes that were built a long time ago.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 449 relating to economic development, HB 1006 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and then began HB 1467 relating to housing resiliency. On HB 449, Director Wayne Enoy of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Food Industry Association, testified in strong support. They said the measure would help local manufacturers and tech-focused businesses adapt to uncertainty around tariffs and federal funding pauses, diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy, and expand workforce training and apprenticeship efforts tied to innovation and manufacturing. The bulk of the discussion focused on HB 1006 and proposed agritourism authority for ADC. ADC, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other supporters said agritourism can be a value-added tool that helps farmers diversify income while keeping agriculture as the primary use of the land. One testifier opposed the bill’s direction without stronger guardrails, urging that a high percentage of revenue or land use remain tied to actual agricultural production. Committee members questioned ADC and Farm Bureau witnesses about how much land should remain in production, whether agritourism could expand on public lands, how enforcement would work, and whether responsibilities should be shifted from the Department of Agriculture’s marketing functions to ADC. Witnesses said ADC currently has no tenants engaged in agritourism, but would support standards, annual reporting, site visits, and the ability to reclaim land if production requirements are not met. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided. After concluding HB 1006 testimony and questions, the committee moved on to HB 1467 and called the first witness, Luke Meyers, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Perfect timing. It's like you've done this before.
• It was so good one more time.
• Thank you for the time to speak today.
• We do have a commercial zone which runs along Route 1.
• We do have a commercial zone which runs along Route 1.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Perfect timing. It's like you've done this before.
• It was so good one more time.
• Thank you for the time to speak today.
• We do have a commercial zone which runs along Route 1.
• We do have a commercial zone which runs along Route 1.

Bills: HB344

Keywords: campaign finance, elections, transparency, political committees, reporting requirements, enforcement

Summary: The Senate Elections and Government Affairs Committee heard several election- and campaign-related bills. House Substitute 2 for House Bill 155 would make Public Integrity Commission reports publicly available on the commission’s website, add a specific travel-expense reporting category, and remove the FOIA requirement for accessing reports; Senator Richardson said he supported the transparency measure and asked to be added as a co-sponsor. The committee also took up House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would create state protections against voter suppression and vote dilution, expand language access, prohibit intimidation and deception, and allow court remedies for violations. The bill drew strong support from advocacy groups including YWCA Delaware, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, and the Legal Defense Fund, and several senators voiced support and interest in moving it quickly. House Bill 430, a constitutional amendment proposal, would make explicit that only natural persons may vote in Delaware elections, including municipal elections, in response to concerns about corporate or other artificial-entity voting in some towns. The discussion focused heavily on Fenwick Island, where the mayor testified that the town’s charter has long allowed certain artificial entities to vote in local elections and said the system is limited and has worked for years; other speakers argued the bill was needed to prevent corporate dilution of residents’ votes. Senator Richardson expressed concern about restricting entities with a local stake, while Senator Hoffner and others emphasized the principle of one person, one vote. Senator Townsend presented House Bill 344, which would tighten campaign finance rules by requiring Delaware bank accounts for candidates and committees, recurring training, better documentation of candidate loans, longer record retention, automatic filing extensions, and inactive status for noncompliant committees; one public commenter opposed the bill on cost grounds. He also presented House Bill 448, which would allow campaign funds to be used for reasonable security expenses for candidates and elected officials, with guardrails, and a commenter suggested allowing electronic security systems without a cap. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 472, a local de-annexation measure for Noble’s Pond in Cheswold to remove scattered residential lots from town boundaries and resolve uneven tax treatment; Senator Hoffner noted local law enforcement supported the change. The committee adjourned after hearing no further public comment on HB 472, and the vote to adjourn was unanimous.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill actually defines the hours of 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. and provides that an applicable time zone is
• zone.
• zone, line 94.
• I'm sorry, in the debtor's time zone. Ninety-four, but it doesn't say and read.
• So I appreciate your time.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and heard several insurance- and financial-services-related bills. HB 315 was temporarily postponed. The chair also noted that, following the speaker’s remarks, members should expect additional special meetings as the committee investigates insurance-related issues and seeks transparency and the truth. HB 497, relating to nonprofit agricultural organization health coverage, was presented as a way to give Florida Farm Bureau members—especially farmers, ranchers, and small business owners—more affordable health coverage options. An amendment added statutory placement changes, disclosures that the product is not commercially sold, and annual financial audits. Members discussed ACA-related protections, fraud, and insolvency concerns, and the bill received support from Florida Farm Bureau and was reported favorably 16-0. HB 379, the annual securities package, updated exemptions, foreign jurisdiction rules, the Florida Invest Local Exemption, merger-and-acquisition broker rules, fingerprinting requirements, and technical issues in the Securities Guarantee Fund. Three amendments clarified entity definitions and fingerprint/live-scan requirements; the bill drew support from industry and OFR and passed favorably 17-0. The PCS for HB 147 on consumer debt collection clarified prohibited communications during nighttime hours, with the sponsor and supporters explaining the intent was to allow email while restricting other forms of contact and reduce litigation over passive communications. Members and public witnesses discussed ambiguity in the wording, and the sponsor said further cleanup language may still be needed; the PCS was reported favorably 17-0. HB 655 on pet insurance and wellness programs created a regulatory framework for pet insurance, drew support from industry and humane society representatives, and passed favorably 17-0. HB 367 on home and service warranty association financial requirements allowed financial compliance through multiple contractual liability insurance policies and alternative parent-company documentation; an amendment corrected cross-references and duplicative language, and after questions about consumer protections and insolvency, the bill was reported favorably 17-0. Finally, HB 7003 preserved a public-records exemption for sensitive financial technology sandbox application materials; members discussed the sandbox concept and possible future issues, but no amendments were taken and the bill passed favorably 17-0. The meeting adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• transitioning full-time to our business.
• How do you determine which school zone we are talking about?
• Could choose what they think is the better school zone.
• Most times, it's law enforcement.
• Most of the time, these individuals that...

Bills: SB210, SB225, HB280, HB287, HB94, HB88, SB157, HB7, HB8, HB42

Keywords: hospital liens, medical billing, government healthcare, insurance claims, patient rights, blood tests, DUI, law enforcement, traffic offenses, chemical analysis, public nuisance, event liability, local government, community health, legal action, transparency, reporting, public safety, regulation, accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• into a non-gun-free zone.
• into a non-gun-free zone.
• wishes to speak for a second time. wishes to speak for a second time.
• I think our municipalities have demonstrated time and time and time again that they can govern responsibly
• time and time and time have demonstrated time and time and time again<10:29:46.320> that<10:29

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for recognizing these outstanding individuals who are with us today, and who are here for the first time
• So we'll try to get out there on time, or hopefully they keep our meals warm.
• In his free time, Cody enjoys playing basketball, running, and cheering on the UNM Lobos.
• An act relating to crime, removing the time limitation for commencing prosecution of human trafficking
• House Bill 88, introduced by Representative Hockman-Vigil [ID: member_12572], relates to zoning, enacting

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:44:33.359> because number three at the same time because number three at the same time
• , don't won't have a motion at that time, don't won't have a motion at that time, I<01:05:46.240>
• So, watch your first time. Okay?
• <01:35:00.320> Well, scheduled it yet for a time. Well, scheduled it yet for a time.
• vote uh may not be a long time.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I haven't seen it at the airport in a long time, but what I recall at one time when you had passenger
• Every time the federal government comes forth with something, Like empowerment zones or opportunity zones
• We have conflicting laws that require a protest by a certain time, and at the same time, we passed an
• So over time, we've gone.
• Being in a rural area, a lot of them work part-time for us and part-time in medical.

Transcript Highlights:

• media markets and the time zone.
• So, um, you know, over the time zone.
• east of the midpoint of the Eastern time east of the midpoint of the Eastern time zone,<00:30:04.320
• Atlantic time zone.
• /c><00:38:15.359> completely Atlantic time zone which is a completely Atlantic time zone which

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been around nuclear for a very long time.
• things at the same time.
• He usually runs into my time.
• Again, very exciting time.
• Their vision at that time was not to build was to operate was to operate some of their at that time was

Summary: The meeting was a presentation and Q&A at Idaho National Laboratory focused on the state of nuclear energy, advanced reactors, and the lab’s role in testing, regulation, and commercialization. Speakers described INL’s broader mission beyond nuclear, including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but emphasized its major nuclear capabilities: the Advanced Test Reactor, TREAT, the Materials and Fuels Complex, and other test beds used to accelerate fuel and materials testing. They also highlighted the lab’s size, workforce, internship pipeline, and partnerships with DOE, DHS, DOD, and private companies. A major topic was the federal push to speed up nuclear deployment through executive orders and regulatory reform. Speakers said DOE and the NRC are reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, streamlining environmental reviews, and working toward a goal of having three new nuclear systems achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. They discussed the difference between microreactors, small modular reactors, and traditional gigawatt-scale plants, arguing that advanced reactors can be factory-built, safer, and better suited for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, and other nontraditional uses. They also said the U.S. is rebuilding its nuclear supply chain, including enrichment and fuel fabrication, and that states willing to host parts of the fuel cycle could see major economic benefits. The speakers addressed questions about cost, safety, waste, and international competition. They said advanced reactors rely on passive safety features, TRISO fuel, and natural circulation, and that the industry’s challenge is often cost uncertainty rather than a precise fuel or materials limit. They argued used nuclear fuel should be viewed as a resource rather than waste if recycling becomes policy, and said microreactors should produce relatively small amounts of spent fuel. They also noted that China and Russia continue to build aggressively, with China on pace to surpass the U.S. in total nuclear generation, while U.S. projects such as Palisades, Crane Clean Energy Center, Duane Arnold, Oklo, Aalo, MARVEL, and Project Pele are moving forward under DOE and private-sector partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:48.440> to point is to allow adequate time to point is to allow adequate time to confer
• <01:11:55.280> time<01:11:55.520> so talking about this for some time time so talking
• about this for some time time so as<01:11:57.560> I<01:11:57.679> I<01:11:57.719> think
• We need just a little bit of time to sort out the details.
• Need just a little bit of time to sort out the details.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and arts-related measures. HB 307 on special member plates drew written support from Protect Ohana, and HB 531 on a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center specialty plate received strong support from the Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society, both emphasizing cancer research, patient care, outreach, and public awareness. HB 706 would require skateboard users under 16 to wear helmets, and HB 1231 would expand red light photo enforcement; both drew support from transportation and safety advocates, while the Judiciary raised concerns about citation volume, staffing, manual processing, and the need for consultation and a phased rollout. The committee also discussed HB 54, which increases penalties for repeated excessive speeding offenses; the Attorney General’s office supported the enforcement rationale and fingerprinting language, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it adds harsh penalties and jail time despite broader efforts to reduce excessive punishment. For the camera-enforcement bills, the Department of Transportation said the red-light and speed-camera programs would be expanded gradually, with existing intersections converted first and additional locations added over time, and noted that the system would require about $2 million and significant automation for the Judiciary. The Judiciary repeatedly asked for more time, public input on camera locations, and effective dates that would allow staffing and system changes. On HB 1166, which funds the automated speed enforcement program, DOT proposed technical amendments to make the citations non-moving violations and to align the statute with the red-light program; the Judiciary again said it had no position on the policy but needed time and consultation to absorb the workload. HB 235, a North Shore red-light imaging bill, drew similar Judiciary concerns and support from a testifier who said enforcement would improve compliance and reduce crashes. The committee also heard HB 1159 on commercial harbor evacuations, with Hawaii Emergency Management Agency supporting the bill as a way to give harbor masters enforceable authority to order vessels out during emergencies. The discussion focused on whether the measure would affect all commercial harbor users, including smaller fishing vessels, and whether it would conflict with Coast Guard authority; the bill’s proponents said it would let the state enforce orders already issued by the captain of the port and protect cargo lanes during crises. Finally, HB 17 on the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority was described by HCDA as a housekeeping and structural bill that would update its purposes, allow it to assist other agencies, and replace multiple county boards with a single program reporting to the 17-member board. DHHL supported the bill because of potential transit and infrastructure benefits for Kapolei and nearby homestead developments, and committee members discussed future financing tools such as improvement districts, TIF, and other mechanisms to fund infrastructure early in the development process.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows them time to finish out their contract. and it has time constraints.
• I won't waste any more time.
• It will save time because the bottom line is given time. Taxpayer lawsuits settled.
• Okay, so they get extra time, or the taxpayer gets extra time; the professionals don't.
• Thank you all for your time.

Bills: SB2784, HB23, HB247, HB1533, HB2011, HB2013, HB2273, HB2421, HB2464, HB3120, HB3424, HB3575, HB3788, HB4370, HB4809, HB5057, HB5084, HB5534, HB5668, HJR34, HB23, HB247, HJR34

Keywords: Somervell County, hospital district, board of directors, elections, local governance, staggered terms, third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure

Transcript Highlights:

• It should be relatively short, compared to what we've been used to the past couple of times.
• Thank you for your time. Great, thank you, Representative Howitt. Appreciate it.
• If you get in a grocery store parking lot in time, easily, it's scary.
• It should be at times, right? Yeah, yeah.
• So I hope that you'll bear with me if I'm a little bit over time.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on a wide range of auto insurance and vehicle-related bills. Testimony focused heavily on autonomous vehicle regulation, auto insurance rating by ZIP code, rental car liability coverage, and surcharge thresholds for minor accidents. Representative Polito supported a bill to regulate autonomous vehicle testing and deployment, arguing for school-zone restrictions, slower speeds, a remote kill switch, and minimum insurance requirements to protect the public. Representative Mendez and Senator Payano testified for legislation to reduce racial and socioeconomic inequities in auto insurance pricing by limiting the weight insurers may place on territorial loss costs, while the Mass Insurance Federation and Consumer Federation of America offered opposing and supporting views, respectively, on the fairness and actuarial impact of geographic rating. The committee also heard support for a bill to remove inspection-sticker violations from license-point calculations, and for a bill to raise the damage threshold for insurance surcharges and minor/major accident classifications. A substantial portion of the hearing addressed House Bill 1301 on rental car liability. Enterprise Mobility, the American Car Rental Association, and a small Massachusetts rental company supported the bill, saying personal auto insurers should be primary when their insureds drive rental cars, that Massachusetts is an outlier compared with most other states, and that the change would reduce costs and simplify claims handling. The Mass Insurance Federation opposed the bill, arguing that current Massachusetts law already clearly makes the vehicle owner’s policy primary and that shifting liability would raise costs for private-passenger policyholders. Committee members asked detailed questions about how rental coverage works, whether premiums or rental rates would change, and how other states handle the issue. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to adjust surcharge rules for at-fault accidents, with sponsors arguing that repair costs and vehicle values have risen sharply and that the current thresholds are outdated. Members discussed how the point system affects drivers, whether the proposal should apply cumulatively or per incident, and how Carfax and out-of-pocket repairs factor into consumer costs. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted written testimony could still be submitted and, during a brief personal privilege, recorded support for two underinsurance bills, H. 1109 and S. 748. The committee then moved and seconded a motion to adjourn, and the hearing ended without any votes on the bills themselves.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been around nuclear for a very long time.
• things at the same time.
• He usually runs into my time.
• Again, very exciting time.
• So, like I said, super busy time. Very exciting.

Keywords: 908, all