Transcript Highlights:

• uh and a portion of<00:25:03.279> that<00:25:03.600> is<00:25:03.960> um<00:25:
• under DPS<00:25:06.840> excuse<00:25:07.200> me I<00:25:10.760> 29%<00:25:11.520
• > of<00:25:11.640> that<00:25:11.799> distribution<00:25:12.679> um<00:25
• ><00:25:15.799> money<00:25:16.080> is<00:25:16.240> distributed<00:25:16.679>
• 25:41.880> as<00:25:41.960> you<00:25:42.080> see<00:25:42.279> on<00:25:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:40.720> Um projects or crafting projects. Um projects or crafting projects.
• <00:25:16.480> it<00:25:16.640> is<00:25:16.880> established<00:25:17.360> in
• :19.440> allowed<00:25:19.760> to<00:25:20.000> do<00:25:20.400> a<00:25:
• > inclusion<00:25:28.880> in<00:25:29.120> that<00:25:29.440> this<00:25:
• :30.960> you<00:25:31.279> will<00:25:31.520> see<00:25:31.679> in<00:25:

Keywords: Ports and Marine Resources - Room 216, 30 January, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2263, which would require Department of Marine Resources law enforcement officers to have probable cause before boarding or stopping a vessel or conducting a search at a marina. The bill sponsor said current law does not require probable cause for DMR stops, and members discussed complaints from constituents about boats being stopped and searched without cause, including checks for life jackets, fish measurements, whistles, and flares. Questions also raised whether the bill should be consistent with wildlife officers and other law enforcement standards; the sponsor noted a separate bill addressing freshwater officers was in another committee. The committee ultimately moved the bill forward with a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered Senate Bill 2264, a coastal restoration and conservation planning bill. The sponsor explained that Mississippi receives multiple streams of restoration-related funding, including RESTORE Act, GOMESA, tidelands, and other federal funds, but lacks a coordinated science-based plan for how those dollars should be deployed. The bill would create a technical advisory board with representatives from state agencies, universities, and an NGO to develop a strategic plan and annual report on priorities such as water quality, habitat loss, and Mississippi Sound restoration. Members confirmed the bill would not change executive branch control over the funds and that GCRF economic damage funds were not included. The committee adopted the bill and reported it out. Next, Senate Bill 2370 was taken up to allow airport authorities to remove abandoned vehicles using the same procedures available to municipalities and private landowners. The sponsor said airports were dealing with vehicles left in parking areas for long periods and needed authority to begin the abandonment process. The bill was reported out. Senate Bill 2618, which would authorize airport authorities to enter public-private partnerships for property on airport-controlled land, was amended with a reverse repealer so it could be studied further; the committee then adopted the amendment, passed the bill as a committee substitute, and reported it out. Finally, Senate Bill 2634, which would let DMR create and pay reserve officers for special events and other staffing needs, was also approved and reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:00.080> I<00:25:00.240> do<00:25:00.400> I<00:25:00.640> do<00
• :25:07.679> we<00:25:07.919> we<00:25:08.159> talk<00:25:08.320> a<00:25:
• /c><00:25:15.840> of<00:25:16.000> food<00:25:16.240> or<00:25:16.400> we're<
• > direct<00:25:30.240> our<00:25:30.559> information<00:25:30.880> or<00:25:
• Uh when I when<00:25:44.640> I<00:25:45.279> see<00:25:45.520> a<00:25:45.760>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100 on a roll call vote, with Chairman Douglas voting no but the items still passing. It then took up a Kentucky Department of Tourism contract involving the United Kingdom, France, and Germany/Austria/Switzerland markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the effort supports marketing, public relations, and familiarization trips. The committee approved that contract as well, with Chairman Douglas voting yes after expressing support for tourism promotion. Next, the committee reviewed two Finance Cabinet facilities and support services items involving engineering and architectural services for a specialized lab expansion project. Members discussed why the design work was expensive, and the cabinet explained that the project’s pathogen-related complexity required specialized firms. Chairman Douglas said he believed some architectural and engineering reimbursement rates were too high and should be reexamined, but the committee still approved the items by roll call. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office and the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission on an MOA related to substance use disorder funding. Senator Meredith asked how the commission’s work coordinated with behavioral health programs, and staff explained that the commission allocates funds based on applications and includes relevant state officials. The contract was approved. After that, the committee considered behavioral health items: one new 988 chat-and-text contract to expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage, and a Voices of Hope amendment that doubled funding to continue services into the next fiscal year. Officials said the 988 contract would move more chats and texts in-state, and that the Voices of Hope increase reflected continuation of SAMHSA-funded services; both were approved. Finally, the committee reviewed DCBS contracts, including a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit and a Building Bridges Initiative training contract. Members questioned whether the food survey group’s advocacy role created a conflict, but DCBS said the organization was chosen for its statewide network and that the cabinet would receive the raw data. For Building Bridges, DCBS said the program began in the fall and provides training and peer mentorship for residential child care providers, with results still too early to assess. Both items were approved. The last set of contracts, under the State Treasurer for the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, prompted questions about why the funding flowed through the treasurer’s office and about a sexuality-related capacity-building initiative. Staff explained the treasurer serves as the designated state agency for federal DD Act funds, and that the sexuality initiative is part of a broader five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, system change, and capacity building; the committee then moved to approve those contracts as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• These were included in the State Grant February 25 projections.
• aid programs<00:25:21.159> we<00:25:21.279> can<00:25:21.440> set<00:25:21.679>
• > year<00:25:28.679> 25<00:25:29.200> it's<00:25:29.360> set<00:25:29.559
• 25:31.120> and<00:25:31.240> we<00:25:31.399> anticipate<00:25:31.919> it
• 71<00:27:26.640> to of fiscal year 25 and a projected 71 to of fiscal year 25 and a projected

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh,<00:25:37.840> we<00:25:38.000> are<00:25:38.080> also<00:25:38.440> a
• <00:25:38.480> member<00:25:38.920> of<00:25:39.280> Hawaii<00:25:39.800> Tax
• Uh,<00:25:43.520> we<00:25:43.720> have<00:25:44.120> Hawaii<00:25:44.480> Public
• Uh,<00:25:51.760> chair,<00:25:52.120> vice<00:25:52.400> chair,<00:25:52.560
• And<01:25:07.520> you<01:25:07.600> guys<01:25:07.760> are<01:25:07.840> a

Bills: HB2459, HB1616, HB1799, HB1604, HB1732, HB1736, HB1931, HB772, HB2153, HB2122, HB2009, HB2012, HB1779, HB2296, HB2397, HB2398, HB1596, HB2233, HB1976, HB1563, HB815, HB1655, HB1851, HB1941, HB2037, HB1635, HB2201, HB1943, HB1163, HB2452, HB2429, HB2148, HB2306, HB2007, HB2049, HB2616

Keywords: food innovation, agribusiness, food safety, market access, branding, economic diversification, performance indicators, agriculture, aquaculture, commercial activity, swine production, Korean natural farming, housing development, commercial projects, county authority, public works, construction standards, exemption, zoning, housing

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:05.520> How<00:25:05.679> much<00:25:05.840> was<00:25:06.000> the
• Um,<00:25:10.000> I<00:25:10.320> believe<00:25:10.480> it<00:25:10.720>
• the budget projections<01:25:14.719> and<01:25:15.520> to<01:25:15.760> the<01:
• 25:15.920> future<01:25:16.159> of<01:25:16.320> the projections and to the future
• of the projections and to the future of the program >> partially<01:25:21.360> um<01:25

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Government Contracts Committee met with a quorum and approved the July 8 minutes. It then deferred several items from the July agenda, including a Kentucky Education Television contract because the vendor was not yet registered with the Secretary of State, and a University of Louisville contract at the university’s request. The committee also deferred a behavioral health memorandum of agreement and later a Department of Community Based Services contract after questions were raised about the scope of services and the need for additional information. The most extensive discussion involved the Seven Counties Services contract with the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities. Committee members questioned why the state continues to contract with Seven Counties despite its bankruptcy and pension-related liabilities, how the funding split was determined, whether the services are statutorily required, and whether the state or another provider could deliver the services more efficiently. Agency representatives said Seven Counties is the sole provider of core community mental health services in its region, serves about 24,500 people, and that service needs and acuity remain high even as the number served has declined. A cabinet attorney said the bankruptcy dispute is ongoing and involves roughly $20 million in contested retirement contributions, though members suggested the amount may be higher. Members also raised broader concerns about whether local governments, especially Metro Louisville, should contribute more toward services tied to social determinants of health, and whether the contract includes services beyond what statute requires. The committee requested additional information on the contract scope and possible offsets or recovery of unfunded liabilities, and then voted to defer the Seven Counties contract to the next meeting. The committee also heard a separate DCBS presentation on the Youth Villages Intercept program, where staff explained it was selected because it is an approved evidence-based Family First prevention service, provides intensive in-home and foster care stabilization services, and is headquartered in Tennessee but operates across Kentucky; members asked for clarification on Medicaid billing and additional funding needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:07.600> fund<00:25:07.880> revenue<00:25:08.399> streams<00:25:09.399
• earlier<00:25:17.919> uh<00:25:18.000> shifting<00:25:18.440> to<00:25:19.240><
• > funds<00:25:29.320> and<00:25:29.520> as<00:25:29.600> I<00:25:29.720><
• 25:37.399> out<00:25:37.919> into<00:25:38.279> those<00:25:38.520> three
• c><00:25:40.000> Highway<00:25:40.360> related<00:25:40.799> funds<00:25:41.760>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Transportation Working Group met on January 15, 2025, with Chair John Kosnik opening by saying the committee expected to pass a transportation bill this year and emphasizing efficient use of transportation revenues, maintenance of roads and transit, and safety. Members and staff introduced themselves, and several representatives noted their interest in roads, bridges, and regional transportation needs. Kosnik also said he had spoken with Representative Kel about leadership arrangements and stressed that bipartisan support would be needed for a transportation bill. House Fiscal Staff’s Andrew Lee and House Research’s Matt Burus then gave an overview of transportation finance, focusing mainly on highways and transit. Burus explained Minnesota’s highway funding structure, including the constitutional Highway User Tax Distribution Fund and the related Trunk Highway Fund, County State-Aid Highway Fund, and Municipal State-Aid Street Fund. He reviewed the main revenue sources: the motor fuels tax, motor vehicle registration tax, motor vehicle sales tax, portions of the general sales tax tied to auto parts, vehicle rentals and leases, and the retail delivery fee. He noted several changes from 2023 legislation, including indexing of the gas tax, creation of the Transportation Advancement Account, and the retail delivery fee, which began in July 2024 and therefore would affect fiscal year 2025 rather than the fiscal 2024 data shown. The presentation also covered how highway dollars flow through constitutional formulas, including the 95/5 split from the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund, with the 5 percent set-aside used for town roads, town bridges, and flexible highway purposes such as turnbacks. Burus distinguished trunk highway bonds from general obligation bonds and explained that both are debt-financing tools for transportation projects, but with different repayment sources and uses. No votes or formal actions were taken at this informational meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, our<00:25:06.480> actuary<00:25:07.120> provides<00:25:07.600> 30-year<00:25
• see in those projections<00:25:14.400> and<00:25:14.640> they<00:25:14.799> have
• ><00:25:15.039> they<00:25:15.279> show<00:25:15.440> them projections and they
• have they show them projections and they have they show them graphically<00:25:16.159> as<00:25
• And our actuar is projecting<00:25:27.120> that.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance heard testimony from Bo Barnes, deputy executive secretary and general counsel for the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), on the TRS budget request for the upcoming biennium and how it compares with House Bill 500 as introduced. Barnes emphasized that the bill fully funds the system’s additional funding request to pay down TRS’s legacy unfunded pension liability, which he described as critical to the system’s long-term funding plan. He also explained that the pension and health insurance requests are broken into several line items, including legacy benefit items, state shared-responsibility payments for retiree health insurance, and reconciliation items that adjust for prior over- or underpayments. Barnes said the state portion of shared responsibility for retiree health insurance was funded below the request in House Bill 500, but he described the health insurance trust as a success story under the post-2010 shared-responsibility model. He said the trust is projected to be fully funded in about two years if medical inflation and federal subsidies remain stable, and he noted that any shortfall in the current budget would be reconciled later and could reduce investment income. In response to questions, he explained that the legacy benefit items are treated as part of the total actuarially determined employer contribution and that unpaid legacy benefits would have the same impact on the retirement trust as unpaid ADC amounts. Barnes also addressed questions about whether the $47.2 million SEEK-related teacher contribution reconciliation could be split between fiscal years, saying it could be done but would reduce investment income and potentially increase future contribution needs. He said the pension fund is currently about 61% funded and that TRS has received full funding for the pension for 10 straight years, with the state having provided full additional funding and more in recent budgets. He concluded by asking the committee to consider TRS’s original budget request, warning that underfunding now would be reflected in future actuarial calculations and could cost the Commonwealth more over time.

Transcript Highlights:

• the<00:25:02.640> things<00:25:02.960> like<00:25:03.160> to<00:25:03.280><
• And so, it all depends upon the<00:25:44.000> project<00:25:44.480> lessees<00:25:45.000
• > that<00:25:45.160> we've the project lessees that we've the project lessees that we've
• identified<00:25:46.040> for<00:25:46.160> those<00:25:46.520> particular<00:25
• So,<00:25:52.520> based<00:25:52.880> upon<00:25:53.240> that,<00:25:54.120>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Housing, meeting jointly with the Committee on Health and Human Services, heard testimony on Senate Bill 2787, which would expand use of the rental housing revolving fund to provide loans or grants for purchasing rental units, and Senate Bill 2957, which addresses tenant displacement and relocation protections, as well as Senate Bill 2866, which would make the state rent supplement program for kupuna permanent and appropriate funds for it. Testimony on SB 2787 included support from DHHL, HHFDC, AARP Hawaii, and others, while the Attorney General recommended clarifying language and standards for grants, and the Tax Foundation questioned whether grants fit the revolving-fund structure. On SB 2957, supporters including OHA, PACT, medical-legal advocates, and tenant representatives emphasized relocation hardships from the KPT redevelopment, language access, and the need for clearer minimum safeguards; the Attorney General suggested defining “comparable units” and correcting a drafting error. On SB 2866, HPHA, Catholic Charities, AARP, the Executive Office on Aging, and others supported making the kupuna rent supplement program permanent to prevent homelessness among low-income seniors. During discussion on SB 2957, members questioned HPHA and tenant counsel about the KPT low-rise relocation process and what “comparable housing” meant in practice. HPHA said all tenants were relocated, but counsel described disputes over comparability, disability and family-size issues, and at least one offered unit that was not livable. For SB 2787, members questioned DHHL about why it sought funding from the rental housing revolving fund rather than other sources; DHHL said it was still exploring options and had mostly used its funds for infrastructure, with only a small portion used as revolving funds. The chair expressed concern about relying on scarce housing funds and urged more efficient use of DHHL’s existing resources. In decision-making, the committees voted to pass SB 2957 with amendments and SB 2866 with amendments. For SB 2957, the amendments would replace the bill with a working group on tenant displacement and relocation, include a blank appropriation and defective date, and request $75,000 for the working group; the motion was adopted unanimously by the members present, with Senator Favela excused. For SB 2866, the amended version would include a blank appropriation, defective date, and committee report language noting requests for $110,160 for two HPHA public housing specialist positions and $2.16 million for the state rent supplement program; this motion was also adopted, with Senator Favela excused. After the joint hearing adjourned, the committee returned to the housing-only agenda and continued discussion of SB 2787 before moving on to SB 3089, which would amend the down payment loan assistance program for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers; testimony on SB 3089 was beginning when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> We're<00:25:00.240> We're<00:25:00.559> gonna<00:25:00.720> have<00:25:
• <00:25:01.840> And<00:25:02.000> we<00:25:02.159> and<00:25:02.320> we
• <00:25:10.240> I<00:25:10.799> the<00:25:11.279> I<00:25:11.600> control<
• Copeland.<00:25:16.799> and<00:25:16.960> and<00:25:17.120> when<00:25:17.279>
• ; confine<00:25:17.919> them<00:25:18.080> to<00:25:18.240> the<00:25:18.400>

Transcript Highlights:

• :00.439> with<02:25:00.600> us<02:25:00.800> today<02:25:01.560> uh<02:25
• <02:25:05.160> and<02:25:05.319> to<02:25:05.520> your<02:25:06.359> your
• > wish<02:25:19.840> to<02:25:19.960> testify<02:25:20.560> is<02:25:20.640>
• :25:30.080> we'll<02:25:30.240> move<02:25:30.399> on<02:25:30.520> to<02
• next<02:25:31.000> measure<02:25:31.319> thank<02:25:31.479> you<02:25:31.600><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several housing, land use, and preservation bills. HB 1008 HD2 would require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to complete historic preservation determinations for state affordable housing projects within 90 days and create sensitivity-based review pathways. HHFDC, DLNR’s State Historic Preservation Division, and written testimony from DBEDT supported the bill as an expedited process for projects unlikely to affect significant historic resources. Members asked how the bill would define significant versus non-significant historic properties, how it would interact with Kapakai analysis, and whether burial councils had been consulted; SHPD said the bill would not replace Kapakai review and that burial councils had not been included. Written support also came from OHA, Hawaii Realtors, and the Maui Chamber of Commerce. HB 1093 would clarify the Hawaii Public Housing Authority’s powers relating to housing projects. HPHA supported the measure, saying it would align definitions with prior law and help deconcentrate poverty by allowing mixed-income rebuilding. The director also said the bill was increasingly urgent because of reported federal HUD priorities that could affect public housing and Section 8 funding. HB 1096 HD1 would repeal state low-income housing preferences for disabled veterans and spouses of deceased veterans, with HPHA saying federal veteran programs such as VASH are a better mechanism and that the state preference has not been used in years. HB 1411 would allow HHFDC projects to give sale or lease preferences to applicants who live or work within five miles of a project; HHFDC and the Hawaii Chapter of NAIOP supported it as a way to keep residents connected to their communities, while members raised constitutional concerns about broader local-preference policies. The committee also heard HB 367 HD1, which would create county permit exemptions for certain agricultural and maintenance activities. Written testimony included opposition from the Department of Planning and Permitting and support from the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Grassroot Institute, and others. A public testifier opposed the bill, arguing that permit exemptions could worsen safety and compliance problems. Finally, HB 826 HD1 would allow county planning commissions, by special permit, to authorize residential housing in agricultural districts for agricultural workforce housing, long-term rental, or fee simple ownership under certain conditions. HHFDC supported it as a faster alternative to lengthy state land-use redistricting, but the Department of Agriculture, Land Use Commission, and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development raised concerns about food production impacts, due process, service provision, jurisdictional conflicts, and the use of special permits for what could amount to district boundary changes. Public testimony was mixed, with some support and some opposition. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:03.600> Uh<00:25:03.919> and<00:25:04.159> so<00:25:04.400> a<
• <00:25:08.640> This<00:25:08.880> bill<00:25:09.120> would<00:25:09.360>
• It provides<00:25:16.799> funding<00:25:17.120> for<00:25:17.279> up<00:25:17.520
• ><00:25:31.520> that,<00:25:31.760> we<00:25:31.919> can<00:25:32.080> help
• > to<00:25:47.120> Thrive<00:25:47.440> is<00:25:47.600> a<00:25:47.760><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > to<00:25:32.039> permit<00:25:32.399> a<00:25:32.919> project<00:25:33.919
• > the<00:25:34.080> current not to permit a project the current not to permit a project
• are projects hyperscale data centers are projects hyperscale data centers are heavy<00:25:43.600
• > industrial<00:25:44.279> projects<00:25:44.840> and<00:25:45.000> do<00
• :25:45.200> not heavy industrial projects and do not heavy industrial projects and do not belong

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and what for infrastructure projects and what might<01:25:05.679> be<01:25:05.760> a<01
• :25:06.000> policy<01:25:06.800> at<01:25:07.120> the<01:25:07.600> Clean
• Council<01:25:08.560> that<01:25:09.199> could<01:25:09.440> help<01:25:09.840>
• streams<01:25:40.400> and<01:25:40.639> protect<01:25:40.960> groundwater<01:25:
• . project. project.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:19.760> The<00:25:20.000> the<00:25:20.159> federal<00:25:20.400>
• And one of the projects in there was $25 million for a project in Shelby County.
• And one of the projects in there was $25 million for a project in Shelby County.
• And one of the projects in there was $25 million for a project in Shelby County.
• And one of the projects in there was $25 million for a project in Shelby County.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Executive Budget 00:00:50, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations. Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities. He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This project is in this project.
• <01:25:03.960> 900<01:25:04.560> of<01:25:04.680> those<01:25:04.920> planned
• for the<01:25:05.400> west<01:25:05.680> side<01:25:06.040> of<01:25:06.200>
• <01:25:47.120> the<01:25:47.200> west<01:25:47.480> side<01:25:48.120> of
• the project. the project.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He was comparing<00:25:02.880> the<00:25:03.200> pandemic<00:25:03.760> to<00:25
• > it<00:25:12.480> pales<00:25:12.880> in<00:25:13.039> comparison<00:25:
• > since<00:25:19.120> all<00:25:19.279> of<00:25:19.440> our<00:25:19.600
• :25:31.039> diplomat<00:25:31.600> in<00:25:31.760> the<00:25:31.919> world.
• ><00:25:54.559> to<00:25:54.640> lose<00:25:54.880> Wy<00:25:55.360> Ki.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Agriculture and Environment committees held an informational briefing on how recent federal policy changes, funding delays, cancellations, and layoffs are affecting Hawaii’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and on the legality of some of those federal actions. Chair Carl Rhodes and Chair Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing it as part of an interim series on the rule of law and Hawaii’s response to federal actions. They noted there would be no public testimony, only invited presenters, and that questions would be held until the end. No votes or formal committee actions were taken. State climate change coordinator Leah Laramie described broad impacts from federal actions, including grant cancellations, litigation over terminated funding, staff cuts at NOAA and EPA, and the effect of the federal tax and spending law she said would raise energy costs, reduce grid reliability, and threaten renewable energy and transportation projects. She highlighted the loss or expiration of incentives for EVs and other clean-energy technologies, the termination of the Solar for All program and other rescissions, and the risk to major Hawaii projects such as Carbon Smart Commodities and other energy and land conservation programs. She also said the state’s attorneys general had taken numerous climate-related legal actions, including suits challenging federal cuts and the oil companies’ role in the climate crisis. Retired Justice Michael Wilson focused on the rule of law and climate justice, arguing that Hawaii is on the front line of climate change and that fossil fuel companies pose the greatest long-term threat. He said the state lacks a comprehensive climate protection plan despite the urgency of the crisis, cited UN and scientific warnings about a limited time horizon and severe warming, and pointed to projected local harms such as sea-level rise, beach loss, infrastructure damage, and major economic losses in Waikiki. His remarks emphasized the need for stronger planning and legal accountability, especially in light of federal rollbacks and the influence of fossil fuel interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:06.400> But<00:25:06.559> we<00:25:06.799> will<00:25:06.960> try<
• > the<00:25:10.080> ASPCA<00:25:10.799> or<00:25:10.880> the<00:25:11.039
• > or<00:25:12.480> some<00:25:12.720> of<00:25:12.799> the<00:25:12.960><
• the other groups that<00:25:14.000> a<00:25:14.240> lot<00:25:14.320> of<00:25:
• ><00:25:43.120> know<00:25:43.520> all<00:25:43.760> the<00:25:44.240> 120.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:20 Kentucky Humane Society 00:01:20, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Alyssa Gray, president and CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society, on the organization’s statewide animal welfare work and its request for a $5 million matching contribution from the General Assembly for a new Kentucky Animal and Community Campus in Louisville. Gray said KHS, an independent nonprofit founded in 1884, serves cats, dogs, and horses, reaches 96 counties, provides shelter relief, spay-neuter services, low-cost veterinary care, and disaster response, and has supported communities during recent tornadoes and floods. She described the new campus as a hub for disaster housing, shelter transfers, veterinary training, and expanded services to reduce overpopulation and relieve pressure on county shelters and local governments. Members asked about the campus’s location, staffing, veterinary student involvement, and the scope of KHS’s services. Gray said the new site would be next to KHS’s current spay-neuter clinic on Preston Highway, that the facility would include shelter medicine, high-volume spay-neuter, and a low-cost clinic, and that it could host veterinary students and interns for hands-on training. She also explained that KHS works with county officials and shelters to move animals during crises or cruelty cases, can connect counties with partner organizations when KHS is full, and provides mobile clinic services and occasional grant support for rural shelters. Committee members praised the presentation and discussed how KHS could fit into disaster recovery planning. One member suggested the organization could be folded into long-term recovery efforts because of its role in post-disaster animal care. The presenter said KHS wants to be a formal disaster response resource and already works with the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and other partners. No vote on the funding request was taken during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, the committee noted it still lacked a quorum, so approval of the minutes was postponed to the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for October 15. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

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• <00:25:02.640> Under<00:25:03.039> the<00:25:03.279> United<00:25:03.760>
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• <00:25:26.799> in<00:25:27.120> existing<00:25:27.760> natural<00:25:28.159>

Bills: HB0120, HB0043, HB0128

Keywords: energy production, natural gas, industrial sovereignty, manufacturing, tax exemptions, money laundering, illegal investment, financial institutions, criminal activity, Wyoming legislation, severance tax, oil production, tax exemption, energy sector, economic impact, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

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• /c><01:25:09.800> you<01:25:09.920> go<01:25:10.000> to<01:25:10.159> way
• <01:25:10.360> and<01:25:10.480> means<01:25:10.719> then<01:25:10.920> rules
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• its<01:25:18.880> second<01:25:19.119> reading<01:25:19.520> it's<01:25:19.840>

Keywords: 1183, house