Transcript Highlights:

• who generally are working either, you know, a period of time in the office, the rest of the time remotely
• I mean, typically this group reconvenes sometime before the end of the year to learn about what has happened
• I mean, typically this group reconvenes sometime before the end of the year to learn about what has happened
• And we're adjourned. to learn about what has happened in the ensuing months.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met on May 8, 2026, to receive updates on upcoming collective bargaining for the 2027–29 biennium. OFM’s Jenny Sheehan reviewed the state workforce, noting that most employees are represented, the workforce remains constrained by hiring limits and civil service rules, and bargaining goals include financially feasible agreements, maintaining labor relations, supporting an inclusive workplace, and addressing issues such as AI use, leave, and immigration-related workplace protections. She also outlined the bargaining calendar, the role of the June revenue forecast in determining what compensation proposals can be funded, and the need to reach tentative agreements by September 2026 for October 1 submission and legislative consideration. She described recent bargaining themes from unions, including limits on AI, expanded leave, access to union members in hybrid workplaces, and classification changes, and she summarized prior-cycle costs, including about $1.2 billion in general funds and $1.7 billion in total funds for 2025–27 awards, excluding the delayed WPEA agreements that were later funded after a return to bargaining. The committee then heard from Western Washington University and the University of Washington on higher education bargaining. Western described its locally bargained contracts, the importance of re-opener clauses tied to state budget decisions, and concerns about the instability of the state “fund split,” which shifts compensation costs between state funds and tuition revenue. Western also emphasized that student employees are increasingly central to retention and urged inclusion of student compensation in the wage base. UW similarly described its large and diverse workforce, the split between RCW 41.56 and 41.80 bargaining frameworks, and the reliance on state funding, tuition, and other revenue sources to cover compensation increases. UW highlighted the financial strain of the fund split, the lack of state funding for academic student employee compensation, and the impact of rising ASE costs on class sizes and the university’s teaching and research missions. OFM also presented on Washington Management Service bargaining, explaining that only certain WMS employees are covered, that bargaining began in 2024, and that current agreements include addenda for WMS-specific provisions. The presentation noted that WMS bargaining is still limited in scope, with only a few represented units, and that compensation bargaining generally covers band minimums and maximums rather than all salary levels. Finally, OFM reviewed interest arbitration rules for certain state employee groups, explaining that arbitration is available for some essential-service and statutorily covered employees, that arbitrators decide disputed contract language based on statutory criteria, and that awards still must be found financially feasible by OFM. Committee members asked about PFML treatment, the timing of arbitration, and the budget pressures facing bargaining, and the meeting adjourned without any votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they supported us as we learned and as we grew. We owe them a great deal of gratitude.
• Students and instilled in them a love of learning. Would you please stand and be recognized?
• the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council and the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Learning
• HB 3819 by Johnson relating to the use of remote technology when conducting uncontested probate proceedings

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• America is about people from different backgrounds coming together, learning from each other, learning
• And we were able to learn about diversity.
• should also be tested to prove they are learning.
• And we want every child to have an opportunity to learn well.
• And he assured me his learning curve would be very fast, and it was.

Summary: The Senate met, opened with prayer and the pledge, and then handled a series of messages and floor actions. The chamber transmitted a large group of Senate bills to the governor and Senate Concurrent Memorial 1004 to the Secretary of State. It also received House requests to return Senate Bills 1175 and 1198 for reconsideration, which were granted without objection. The Senate then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider several House concurrent resolutions. On H.C.R. 2001, a constitutional referral on election requirements, senators debated a Judiciary Committee amendment and a Hoffman floor amendment that would require voter ID, allow election-day tabulation of early ballots at polling places, and require legislative funding for implementation. Supporters said the measure would improve election security, voter confidence, and speed up results; opponents argued it was vague, could undermine mail voting, and lacked clear implementation details. The amendment was adopted, and after further debate the Committee of the Whole gave H.C.R. 2001 a do-pass recommendation by a 15-12 vote. Later, on third reading, the full Senate passed H.C.R. 2001 by a 16-12 vote and transmitted it to the House. The chamber also considered H.C.R. 2003, a referral on student athletics and biological sex. Senator Ortiz offered a floor amendment to replace the blanket ban approach with rules based on athletic ability and inclusion; supporters said it would preserve fairness while avoiding discrimination, while opponents said it would gut the measure and weaken protections for girls’ sports. The Ortiz amendment failed 11-16, and H.C.R. 2003 then received a do-pass recommendation in Committee of the Whole and later passed third reading. H.C.R. 2044, a referral on prohibiting preferential treatment and discrimination, also received a do-pass recommendation without recorded controversy. The Senate then adjourned after completing the remaining procedural motions and votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• and principles of learning and teaching.
• Principles of learning and teaching addresses the pedagogy.
• Professional learning and principles of Professional learning and principles of learning<01:26:58.480
• I learn a whole lot today. Thank you. Further questions?
• I learn a whole lot today. Thank you. Further questions?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Committee on Education and Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs heard Senate Bill 422, which would authorize the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified people whose schooling was interrupted by military service or wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. The Department of Education testified in support, noting a prior law that created the Kono diploma program before it sunset in 2020. Several members of the public also testified in support. Both committees later recommended passage of SB 422 without amendments, and the recommendation was adopted by voice votes. The committees then heard Senate Bill 530 on Braille literacy. The bill would establish Braille literacy as state policy, require Braille-related literacy assessments for eligible blind and low-vision students, authorize DOE rulemaking, create a Braille Literacy Resource Center, and appropriate funds. DOE and the Department of Human Services supported the measure, as did the National Federation of the Blind, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and a blind testifier who described the importance of early Braille instruction. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about statutory language requiring yearly assessments and suggested revisions so annual decisions remain with IEP teams. The committees voted to pass SB 530 with amendments, including the Attorney General’s suggested changes, and adopted the recommendation. The next measure was Senate Bill 532, which would allow school staff and agents trained by a licensed clinician to volunteer to administer medication to students in public schools under certain conditions and clarify who may prescribe such medication. DOE and Department of Health testimony supported the bill. The Attorney General recommended replacing the term “licensed clinician” with the defined term “health care professional.” The Hawaii Academy of Physician Assistants supported the bill but asked that physician assistants be included among providers who may prescribe medications for school administration. After questions about current school health aide duties and field-trip medication procedures, the committees voted to pass SB 532 with amendments, including the Attorney General’s terminology change, and adopted the recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, Shawn Blodgett will be joining us remotely.
• Shawn Blodgett will be joining us remotely.
• Uh, I think she will be joining us remotely. Can you hear me? Yes, we can.
• > history, When students learn inclusive history, When students learn inclusive history, research
• us to learn about that history. us to learn about that history.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But children to show up ready to learn.
• <02:11:53.520> and social social emotional learning and social social emotional learning and
• <02:34:57.760> Mahalua to learn, grow, and feel seen.
• Mahalua to learn, grow, and feel seen.
• to learn. Mahalo. to learn. Mahalo. >> Thank<03:08:48.000> you.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing on Act 310 grants and aid focused on organizations describing how federal funding cuts, Medicaid/SNAP changes, and related policy shifts are affecting their services and budgets. Committee members explained there would be no Q&A, testimony would be limited to one minute, and in-person participants would be heard before Zoom callers. Members repeatedly asked testifiers to identify the amount of federal funding lost or at risk. Testimony came from a wide range of nonprofits and community providers, including Aloha Care, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Literacy, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, the Tsunami Museum, The Kohala Center, West Hawaii Community Health Center, West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, Dynamic Community Solutions, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Homana, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Most described reduced or threatened federal support and requested state funding to maintain services such as health care access, food security, disaster preparedness, literacy and digital inclusion, youth mentoring, arts education, housing, and climate or agricultural resilience. Several speakers emphasized direct impacts on vulnerable populations, including kūpuna, low-income families, immigrants, homeless youth, and people with disabilities. Requests ranged from relatively small planning or program grants to multi-million-dollar stabilization asks, with some organizations citing specific losses such as reduced Medicaid or USDA funding, canceled EPA or FEMA support, or expiring federal grants. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, the following members intend to vote from a remote location pursuant to rule 40.7: Senators
• the promenade area on the south steps of the Capitol from noon to 4:00, and we're inviting you to learn
• the promenade area on the south steps of the Capitol from noon to 4:00, and we're inviting you to learn
• the promenade area on the south steps of the Capitol from noon to 4:00, and we're inviting you to learn
• <00:24:26.400> about and we're inviting you to learn about and we're inviting you to learn

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CORPORATE CITIZEN IN THE CITIES WHERE WE HOST EVENTS AND I FOUND THAT TO BE REWARDING BECAUSE WHAT I LEARNED
• ALL THE BOARDS I SERVED ON I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT GOVERNANCE AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL SO I HAD TO LEARN
• WHAT THAT MEANT AND THE TRANSFER THOSE GOVERNANCE SKILLS I LEARNED OVER TIME IN CORPORATE AMERICA AND
• WHAT I'M LEARNING IS THAT IT IS RATED AS A A FIRST UNIVERSITY BUT IF YOU DIG IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THIS
• I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY IN HEARING REMOTELY. I HEARD THERE WERE PAGES IN THE AUDIENCE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk will call the name of the member participating remotely. Her. I.
• the The clerk will call the name of the member<00:07:58.960> participating<00:07:59.680> remotely
• member participating remotely. member participating remotely.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up the conference committee report on Senate File 3045, an act relating to state government operations. The authors described the bill as a broad agreement on government operations that funds state functions, limits growth in government, and includes elections and campaign finance provisions that were characterized as common-sense and bipartisan. Members also noted the bill supports legislative staff and other government operations, and one speaker highlighted that the final product reflected technical changes and input from counties and other election stakeholders. During debate, several members praised the conference process and the bipartisan work between the House and Senate co-chairs. One member specifically emphasized that the elections portion was developed to address technical fixes and to respond to concerns from those involved in election administration. Another speaker, in a lighthearted aside, referenced a “giant beaver bill” and thanked a colleague for bringing it forward again, before urging members to vote green. The House adopted the conference committee report and then repassed Senate File 3045 as amended by conference. The final roll call was 116 ayes and 18 nays, and the bill’s title was agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've learned that incarceration does not fix the problem.
• Well, we've learned since then that it's just a band-aid approach because the person leaves the prison
• And I have also learned over the years, as I talked to different people in the community, there isn't
• We are learning through best practices.
• hearing these matters in chambers, and with the advent of technological solutions that allow for remote

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And in accordance with the rules of the Senate, the following members will be participating remotely
• The remainder of the search charge goes to the remote electronic alcohol monitoring program account in
• Miss Boyd, do you have any sense, if there's an excess in the remote monitoring fund and it is swept
• Oh, and I'll mention before I forget that Senator Hawj is with us remotely, and he is in Rockville.
• that Senator How is with us uh remotely. that Senator How is with us uh remotely. uh<00:36:16.240

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So just something to highlight for you all that we're learning in real time.
• There's also remote work for volunteers.
• Of produce for people who have SNAP benefits in a very remote community.
• That's one thing you learn up here: you better be flexible, or you're going to be crazy after a day or
• This was truly the definition of learning by a fire hose, coming at you with so much information, and

Transcript Highlights:

• I also think we've done a lot of learning, and we have a lot of lessons learned from the previous rounds
• online in advance of the hearing and then to also participate in the hearing, both in person and remotely
• At the hearing, there are opportunities for public comment, both in person and remotely.
• We did disband as a formal task force in December, but we decided to stay together because we had learned
• That is already happening, and we have an example to learn from as we look towards the Middle Valley.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have an online testifier and technical support remote if necessary. >> Okay. Uh, thank you.
• and technical an online testifier and technical support<00:02:35.760> um<00:02:36.000> remote
• support um remote if necessary. support um remote if necessary.
• I understand there's also a remote testifier who's available for questions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, I'd like to welcome Representative Trish Farley-Bouvier, who is joining us remotely, and then will
• Representative Trish Farley-Bouvier was joining us remotely and then will be followed by Senator Fernandes
• I believe joining us remotely. Thank you.
• So we had two of the folks who are going to join us remotely.
• We're now going to turn it over to folks that have joined us or signed up remotely.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of transportation bills focused on rural microtransit, commuter rail fares and service, rail electrification, climate alignment, and safety. Several speakers supported H. 4054 and related microtransit proposals, arguing that rural communities need stable, permanent funding for services like the Tri-Town Connector and Quaboag Connector, which have strong ridership, high satisfaction, and measurable economic and health benefits. Testimony also supported a commission bill to study microtransit funding and definitions, with witnesses emphasizing that current grant programs are helpful but short-term and insufficient for long-term service planning. A major theme was commuter rail equity and expansion. Boston-area officials and advocates backed bills to make all Boston commuter rail stations Zone 1A, citing large fare disparities between nearby stations in Hyde Park, Roslindale, and Readville. Related testimony supported studying an Orange Line extension from Forest Hills to Roslindale Square and expanding The Ride to Foxborough, as well as restoring commuter rail service to Cape Cod via Middleborough to Buzzards Bay and beyond. Speakers said these projects would improve access, reduce car dependence, and better serve neighborhoods and regions that currently face limited rapid transit options. Multiple panels urged action on electrification and climate-focused transportation planning, including H. 3726, the Freedom to Move Act, and bills to electrify commuter rail, buses, school buses, and public fleets. Advocates from environmental, transit, and public health groups said transportation is the state’s largest emissions source and argued that statutory goals, coordinated planning, and streamlined permitting are needed to speed decarbonization while improving safety, affordability, and reliability. The committee also heard support for a bill to streamline rail electrification permitting, a bill to exempt certain transit projects from MEPA review, and a bill to improve commuter rail pedestrian safety with gates, fencing, and warning devices at at-grade crossings. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• having all that fun, they're learning having all that fun, they're learning engineering,<00:10:56.959
• As you can using the remote control.
• People should not be afraid to learn about other cultures or to learn about other religions or those
• :38:12.080> or or to learn about other religions or or to learn about other religions or those
• we need to learn from our history. we need to learn from our history.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call - 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes – 0:03:50 Robotics Education – 0:04:18 Canopy KY – 0:14:15 Comprehensive Support and Improvement – 0:23:20 Postsecondary Credit Alignment – 0:53:15 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in K-12 Settings – 1:21:25 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 2:05:15 Adjournment 2:05:41, 958, all

Summary: The committee opened with a roll call, confirmed a quorum, approved the minutes by voice vote, and recognized a guest of Senator Hickden, retired judge Dan Kelly. The chair then moved through a tight agenda and limited public presentations and questions. The first presentation was on robotics education in Kentucky, led by Representative Chris Lewis, Kentucky FIRST Robotics executive director Kelly Gowen, and students from Whitfield Academy. They argued that robotics should be expanded in high schools as a workforce pipeline for engineering, manufacturing, and advanced technology jobs. The presentation emphasized hands-on learning, industry certifications, teacher development, and a proposed framework to fund robotics education programs statewide. Committee members were not allowed to ask questions because of time constraints. The second presentation was from Canopy Kentucky, led by Adam Watson and founder Scott Collins. They described Canopy’s business and entrepreneurship education programs for fifth graders and high school students, including the NextGen Good Biz initiative and an eight-classroom high school unit. Canopy requested a one-time $750,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026, matched by private funds, to expand into more schools and rural areas, train educators, and report outcomes. Members asked a brief question about how the programs fit into school schedules and the difference between the elementary and high school offerings. The final presentation, from KDE’s Kelly Foster and Todd Allen, reviewed the state’s school improvement classifications. Foster explained CSI, TSI, and ATSI status, the federal and state legal framework, and how House Bill 298 returned CSI identification to an annual cycle. She reported that Kentucky identified 50 CSI schools on the most recent release, with 53 CSI schools statewide, along with 39 TSI schools and 102 ATSI schools. She also outlined KDE’s support process, including education recovery staff, diagnostic reviews, turnaround plans, and required professional learning for CSI schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• we're back and with all the learnings we're back and with all the learnings that<00:09:32.120>
• Our learning should not be for naught.
• <00:20:17.520> right there is also success in learnings right there is also success in learnings
• The Promise Act team at NDC is outstanding, and we've learned along the way.
• if if if you can go to the the learnings if if if you can go to the the learnings page<00:37:03.160

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're like me and you have a kid home e-learning today, all the e-learning kids need that too.
• please introduce yourself and remotely please introduce yourself and provide<01:03:23.640> your
• Our next testifier is Gail Doners, a farmer from Minnesota Farmers Union, testifying remotely.
• Union uh testifying remotely please Union uh testifying remotely please state<01:15:10.040> your
• I have also reached out directly to Monica Makoni to learn how to help a family member that was dealing

Bills: HF47, HF434, HF1503, HF1702

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF434, cervidae, deer, elk, moose, chronic wasting disease, CWD, wildlife importation, animal health, biosecurity, zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, AZA, USDA exhibitor, species survival plan

Transcript Highlights:

• what you think they will learn.
• what you think they will not be learning what you think they will<00:25:57.760> learn.
• Everyone's right to learn.
• learning. They're not going to school. learning. They're not going to school.
• do some experimental learning.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• community. and to learn about the history, culture, and roots.
• It is a place where visitors and residents can work, live, play, and learn. Connect and grow.
• I've learned to say it many times.
• They can learn about the culture in Kenya.
• of it because I need to learn some of the cultures as well.