Transcript Highlights:

• </c> also the outstanding Wyoming librarian also the outstanding Wyoming librarian for<00:08:01.360><
• </c> hill or or somewhere out of state. hill or or somewhere out of state.
• </c> state in reimbursing. state in reimbursing.
• </c><01:24:40.880><c> champions</c> state football team is state champions state football team is state
• </c> legislature of the state of Wyoming. legislature of the state of Wyoming.

Transcript Highlights:

• Greg Lucas, our California State Librarian, who I saw—there he is, love him.
• So let's go next to our state librarian.
• librarian here for the state of California, when you fire the head librarian of Congress, what are the
• As a head librarian for the state of California, can you just offer a little bit of your sort of reactions
• As a head librarian for the state of California, can you just offer a little bit of your sort of reactions

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on how recent federal actions are affecting arts, culture, humanities, libraries, museums, and the creative economy in California. Chair Ben Allen and Vice Chair Chris Ward opened by describing the hearing as a response to proposed and ongoing federal cuts to the NEA, NEH, IMLS, and public broadcasting, as well as grant terminations and leadership changes at cultural institutions. Several members emphasized the economic and civic importance of the arts, while one Republican member argued for greater ideological diversity in the arts and noted the loss of music programs in small schools. Testimony from Aaron Harky of Americans for the Arts and Jolie Fisher of SAG-AFTRA described the impact of federal policy on grants, jobs, and production. Harky said executive orders and the FY 2026 budget proposal threaten arts agencies and arts education, and that rescinded grants are causing hiring freezes, shutdowns, and losses for small organizations, especially in rural and underserved communities. Fisher focused on runaway film and television production, outdated tax rules, and the need for federal incentives, intellectual property protections, and action on AI and digital replicas. Members also discussed bipartisan support, the role of business and tourism partners, and the need to include more diverse voices in arts advocacy. The second panel featured Rick Noguchi of California Humanities, Greg Lucas of the State Library, and Danielle Purcell of the California Arts Council. Noguchi said NEH funding was cut immediately, putting California Humanities’ grantmaking and documentary programs at risk and prompting consideration of litigation and possible state support. Lucas reported that IMLS funding for California libraries was briefly canceled but partly restored, though a budget gap remains. Purcell said the California Arts Council is still awaiting federal award language for state partnership funds, but NEA grant terminations and the proposed elimination of federal cultural agencies create major uncertainty; she also said the council is assessing the damage and tracking impacts on grantees. Members asked about measuring outcomes, AI’s threat to creative work, documentary funding losses, and possible state and national strategies to protect cultural institutions and jobs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Greg Lucas, our California State Librarian, who I saw—there he is. Love him.
• So let's go next to our state librarian.
• here for the state of California, when you fire the head librarian of Congress, what are the implications
• As a head librarian for the state of California, can you just offer a little bit of your sort of reactions
• As a head librarian for the state of California, can you just offer a little bit of your sort of reactions

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on how federal actions are affecting arts, culture, humanities, libraries, museums, and creative industries in California. Chair Ben Allen, Vice Chair Chris Ward, and other members described the moment as a crisis, citing proposed or implemented cuts to the NEA, NEH, and IMLS, grant terminations, leadership removals, and budget proposals to zero out major cultural agencies. Members emphasized that arts and humanities are both culturally essential and economically significant, and they framed the hearing as a chance to hear impacts on the ground and consider state and federal responses. Testimony from Aaron Harky of Americans for the Arts and Jolie Fisher of SAG-AFTRA highlighted the scale of the problem. Harky said federal rescissions and policy changes are causing immediate financial harm, forcing hiring freezes, program cancellations, and emergency fundraising, while disproportionately hurting rural, immigrant, elder, and small community organizations. She noted California’s creative economy generates hundreds of billions of dollars and urged support for restoring state arts funding, museum grants, and legislation such as SB 456 and AB 3149, along with federal measures like the Charitable Act and Performing Arts Tax Parity Act. Fisher focused on film and television production, saying runaway production, outdated tax rules, and weak federal IP protections are harming workers and local businesses; she urged federal production incentives, tax parity for performers, and stronger protections against AI misuse of artists’ voices and likenesses. State agency leaders Rick Noguchi of California Humanities, Greg Lucas of the State Library, and Danielle Purcell of the California Arts Council described direct impacts from federal funding disruptions. Noguchi said California Humanities lost NEH support immediately, putting grants and documentary projects at risk and prompting possible litigation and appeals. Lucas said the State Library initially faced a major IMLS funding loss but has since had part of the money restored, though still with a reduced amount that will limit local assistance. Purcell said the California Arts Council is assessing terminated grants and fielding urgent calls from grantees, while continuing to distribute state arts funds and track the damage. Members asked about bipartisan support, business coalition-building, economic measurement, AI threats to creative work, and the implications of federal leadership changes; no votes were taken, but the hearing ended with calls for continued advocacy, legal action, and possible state investment to stabilize the sector.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> This is with regards to the state librarian and the salary cap.
• So, state librarian salary is an anomaly, and it's kind of a contradiction in a way because the Board
• So, state librarian salary bargaining.
• received</c><01:36:28.320><c> an</c> state librarian who received an state librarian who received an
• And moving on to the next bill, HB 1595, State Librarian salary cap.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2485, which would require cardiovascular screening for student athletes. The Department of Education and Department of Health said they support the bill’s intent but noted that many screenings are already part of existing school-entry and well-child exams. The Attorney General’s office asked for clarifying language on who performs the screenings, where results go, how “positive findings” are defined, how referrals would work, and whether funding would be appropriated if DOE must hire health professionals. The American Heart Association strongly supported the bill, citing the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes and arguing that sports physicals are an effective opportunity for early detection. No vote was taken, and the committee moved on after testimony. The committee then heard HB 89, concerning a school psychologist working group and possible licensing or credentialing of school psychologists. The Department of Education and Board of Psychology supported the measure. The Hawaii Psychological Association said it supports licensing school psychologists but asked to be included in the working group, arguing it is an important stakeholder. The Hawaii Association of School Psychologists opposed including HPA, saying the issue is between school psychologists and DCCA and that HPA is not part of their organization. Testimony and discussion focused on the long-running disagreement over whether school psychologists should be regulated under the Board of Psychology or another mechanism, and on title protection and scope of practice. No action was reported during this portion. The committee also took up HB 2445, relating to standardized emergency responses for immigration enforcement at or near schools. The Department of Education said it already issued internal law-enforcement guidance and questioned whether the bill was necessary, while also raising concerns about the bill’s 1,000-foot buffer language and the limits of school authority over activity off campus. The Board of Education echoed those concerns and suggested the bill may need clearer definitions. Supporters, including the White Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and an attorney testifying on Know Your Rights training, argued that recent federal changes have increased ICE activity near schools and that a law is needed to ensure clear, public protocols, staff training, and family protections. A student testifier said the measure was a top priority of the state student council. The transcript ends during testimony, with no vote or final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, first off, we have almost no librarians, actual certified librarians, in our public school system
• House Concurrent Memorial 2001 urges the President of the United States and the United States Congress
• Treasury and Secretary of State.
• They're just wanting to put that part of history in our state since they have expanded our state and
• It is illegal in the state of Arizona to have cesspools.

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, covering appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal justice. Early discussion included HB 2148, which would give the Legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures included HB 2091 on insurance assessment limits, HB 2122 on BTR reciprocity/endorsement clarifications, HB 2138 on firefighters’ workers’ compensation coverage, HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public funds to pay certain professional associations, HB 2110 allowing prayer at public governing body meetings on request, and HB 2142 creating a School Safety Center at ADE with up to 10% of program funds for administration. The caucus also heard several parental-rights and elections bills. HB 2249 would expand the parents’ bill of rights to require notice if school staff facilitate a minor’s social transitioning and to allow parents access to complete educational records, with penalties for interference. HB 2022 would conform Arizona election deadlines and the primary date to federal law changes affecting military and overseas voters, with sponsors saying it preserves the 2024 timeline and includes emergency and permanent fixes. HCM 2001 urged the President and Congress to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 was discussed as a related measure concerning CARE and congressional review/designation efforts; members debated the legal differences between the two memorials. A major portion of the meeting focused on HCR 2001, a proposed constitutional amendment on election rules. The sponsor said it would require U.S. citizenship to vote, government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, end early voting by the Friday before Election Day, and tighten ballot-return and polling-place rules, framing it as an Arizona Secure Elections Act modeled on Florida reforms. Members asked about ballot-return mechanics and the impact on voters who move, and the sponsor said the measure would require periodic address confirmation for early voters and earlier drop-off deadlines for certain ballots. The caucus also reviewed many water bills, including measures on snowpack augmentation, water conservation grant disclosures and eligible uses, stormwater recharge mapping, cesspool remediation, groundwater withdrawal limits in irrigation non-expansion areas, and a $1 million appropriation for Colorado River litigation. Additional bills covered tax and property issues, criminal penalties, and other policy changes. These included HB 2016 eliminating late-filing penalties when no tax is owed, HB 2104 and HB 2105 protecting agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and requiring notice before inspections, and HB 2289 updating truth-in-taxation pamphlet examples to reflect $100,000 and $400,000 home values instead of outdated figures. The caucus also heard bills on felony murder involving unborn children, disposal of dead bodies, unlawful flight penalties, weapons trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, child support during pregnancy, and a memorial for the Buffalo Soldiers. No formal votes were taken in the transcript excerpt; the meeting consisted primarily of bill presentations, sponsor explanations, and member questions, with several bills noted as removed from the consent calendar or awaiting further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• I served as state librarian.
• I was the state librarian under Jay Ashcroft.
• This is when I was state librarian.
• I keep talking like I'm still your state librarian.
• librarian and then in turn from the Secretary of State.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Providing $3.1 million for the State Education Department to implement New York Inspires.
• PROVIDING $3.1 MILLION FOR THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT NEW YORK INSPIRES.
• BUDGET THAT WILL ENSURE THAT ALL NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL KIDS GET A SOUND BASIC EDUCATION.
• School leaders across the state have been clear the current timeline is not workable.
• SCHOOL LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE BEEN CLEAR THE CURRENT TIME LINE IS NOT WORKABLE.

Summary: The Education Budget Conference Joint Committee met on March 18 to begin negotiations on the state education budget. Co-chairs Senator Shelley Mayer and Assembly Member Benedetto outlined their chambers’ priorities, with the Senate emphasizing Foundation Aid changes to better support students experiencing homelessness or foster care, English language learners, a minimum 2% increase for all districts, expanded universal pre-K, and continued support for special education programs and nonpublic schools. The Assembly highlighted its one-house proposal, including a $1.4 billion increase in Foundation Aid, a higher ELL and pupil needs weighting, a new weight for students in foster care or housing instability, removal of the pupil needs cap, $600 million for New York City class size reduction, additional community schools funding, and restorations or increases for libraries, teacher resource centers, 4201 schools, My Brother’s Keeper, and educational television and radio. Members from both chambers offered opening remarks stressing education as a top budget priority and expressing confidence that a compromise could be reached. Senator Tedisco focused on school safety and bullying, arguing that parents should be notified when their children are bullied and citing the need to protect students’ ability to learn. Assembly Member Vanel emphasized education as a tool for economic mobility and called for stronger financial literacy instruction. Assembly Member Carroll supported funding for libraries and evidence-based reading programs, while Assembly Member Smith said the Foundation Aid formula remains outdated and urged more support for English language learners, special education, and community schools. Assembly Member Chludzinski stressed local control, criticized the electric school bus mandate, and called for greater support for libraries and fiscal restraint. No votes were taken. The meeting was an opening conference session, with both sides stating their intent to continue negotiations and work toward an on-time budget that reflects shared priorities for students, schools, and libraries across New York State.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> investment in the future of our state. investment in the future of our state.
• </c><00:05:01.320><c> Uh</c> our state. Uh our state.
• State government has exploded.
• </c> State government has exploded. State government has exploded.
• </c> the state of Minnesota. the state of Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• Credit card debt in the United States has now surpassed $1.3 trillion.
• Forty other states, Mr.
• Since 2013, several states have had some form of literacy requirements.
• Several states have passed some form of literacy requirements.
• What does access to librarians and libraries in our communities look like?

Summary: The House took up several procedural orders early in the session, including extending the reporting deadline for the Housing Committee on H.4655 and suspending Joint Rule 12 for a petition seeking to rescind prior Article 5 constitutional convention applications. It then advanced three Ways and Means bills on education-related topics: personal financial literacy education (H.4670), expanded access to the state seal of biliteracy (H.4671), and teacher preparation and student literacy (H.4672), each moving through amendment adoption and third reading or engrossment procedures. A major portion of the meeting focused on H.4670, which would require personal financial literacy instruction in middle and high school and establish a financial literacy trust fund for curriculum and teacher training. Members spoke in support, emphasizing budgeting, credit, student loans, and long-term financial planning, and the bill passed to be engrossed by a 154-0 roll call. H.4671, which broadens access to the seal of biliteracy for students in public and private schools, also drew support and passed to be engrossed 155-0. The most extensive debate centered on H.4672, a literacy bill requiring evidence-based reading instruction, DESE-approved curricula or approved local alternatives, screening and progress monitoring, professional development, and related implementation measures. Members described concerns about declining reading scores and argued for a shift away from three-cueing toward phonics-based, science-of-reading approaches. Several amendments were considered: a proposal to change intervention language from “significantly” to “at risk of falling behind” failed, while amendments adding funding language, stakeholder collaboration, and other implementation details were adopted. One amendment clarifying that pictures may be used as a supplement in literacy curricula was also adopted, and the bill ultimately passed to be engrossed 155-0. The House also observed moments of silence for former Judge Leslie Harris, former Representative Mark Carron, and former Representative Dennis Rosa, and adjourned to meet the next day at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will follow up with our state librarian regarding that.
• I'm Stacy Ald, the state librarian, and I have with me Mallerie Fujitani.
• </c><00:46:58.720><c> librarian</c> uh I'm Stacy ald I'm the state librarian uh I'm Stacy ald I'm the
• state librarian and<00:46:59.440><c> I</c><00:46:59.520><c> have</c><00:46:59.680><c> with</c><00:46
• </c> and I have with me um to to the state and I have with me um to to the state librarian<00:47:02.400

Transcript Highlights:

• As a State Agency Hiring Reform Act.
• Under our current state hiring guidelines, the state process is crippled by a fragmented landscape of
• agencies cripple the state.
• The State Personnel Board would be able to review basically every single hire the state makes.
• Most of the states—there are only three or four that have fewer than us, and they're all small states

Committees: House Government , House House Government Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• However, first off, we have almost no librarians, actual certified librarians, in our public school system
• House Concurrent Memorial 2001 urges the President of the United States and the United States Congress
• Treasury and Secretary of State.
• They're just wanting to put that part of history in our state since they have expanded our state and
• This is illegal in the state of Arizona to have cesspools.

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• Three, demonstrate alignment with state and local continuous improvement plans.
• I will state that today, after there was a very concerted effort in the last year by the State Department
• And if that is the new model to which the state wants to go, there has to be a definition for it.
• My name is Peggy Hoy, and I am a longtime educator in the state of Idaho.
• We don't have a teacher number problem in this state.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> We're doing it in all of our state We're doing it in all of our state agencies<00:06:48.800><c>
• </c> professional library science librarians. professional library science librarians.
• </c> an advocacy group within the the state an advocacy group within the the state of<00:52:13.359><c
• Um and and u have throughout the state.
• </c> that was for the the board the state that was for the the board the state board<01:56:45.599><c>

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• state.
• I'm the Texas State Liaison with the Education Commission of the States.
• That's our 16-state region, which is a very diverse group of southern states.
• Of our students in the state, now being educated directly by the state, Mr.
• I mean, state law is state law.

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:44:22.719><c> I</c> state. I think it's a good process. I state.
• And workforce growth in our state has been less than in other states.
• ><c> states.
• </c> the state. This is a state program. the state. This is a state program.
• If you're going to come to this state and bring a poison to our state that's killing people in this state

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:30:18.799><c> in</c> derogatory to you or to librarians in derogatory to you or to librarians
• We did with definitions state.
• </c><01:07:51.119><c> Um</c> taxes to receive state funds. Um taxes to receive state funds.
• </c> tell them they're going to lose state tell them they're going to lose state funding<01:15:29.040
• State personnel is doing this for everybody in the state. Everybody in the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, next up we have a state librarian, Mr. Aldri, testimony and support. Mr. Sniffen, Dr.
• Uh, next up we have a state librarian, Mr. Aldri, testimony and support. Mr. Sniffen, Dr.
• Uh, next up we have a state librarian, Mr. Aldri, testimony and support. Mr. Sniffen, Dr.
• Uh, next up we have a state librarian, Mr. Aldri, testimony and support. Mr. Sniffen, Dr.
• in another state.

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Summary: The committee opened its first hearing of 2025 and announced that all measures heard that day would be deferred to the next committee hearing for decision-making on Thursday, January 30. The agenda centered largely on procurement and government-operations bills, with testimony generally split between state agencies and local governments. On procurement measures, SB 254 and SB 383 would raise small-purchase thresholds; the State Procurement Office opposed both, while county officials, the City and County of Honolulu, the state librarian, and others supported them. SB 382, which would bar disclosure of a competing offeror’s proposal or evaluation score, and SB 462, which would require performance incentive contracts to specify pricing bases, goals, and formulas, drew mostly written comments and some support from agencies such as the Department of Transportation and Department of Education. SB 615, which would treat certain large change orders as new contracts, received opposition from the Comptroller and engineering interests. The committee also heard several bills on vacancies, appointments, and legislative oversight. SB 5 on state legislative vacancies had one supporting testifier, while SB 300 on deadlines for filling certain Senate vacancies drew opposition from several individuals and support from one late testifier. SB 1081, which would create a legislative budget office to provide fiscal analysis and reports on bills, received broad support from advocacy groups, civic organizations, and individuals. SB 711, requiring Senate advice and consent for certain executive-branch appointments, drew written opposition from the Governor’s Office and support from one individual. SB 375, establishing a select commission on government restructuring, had one written supporter. SB 418, which would require the Attorney General’s office to review a portion of administrative rules each year, prompted extended discussion about outdated rules, the difficulty of repealing or amending rules, and whether the bill should be refined; the AG’s office indicated the process is burdensome and could be streamlined. The committee then took up transparency and access measures. SB 55, requiring agency rules to be posted online in a digitally accessible format, received support from several advocacy and civic groups and written comment from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. SB 870 would direct the comptroller to identify state office buildings that could provide equitable telecom access for remote participation in hearings, especially for residents with disabilities; the Comptroller supported the concept, and members discussed using libraries, DAGS facilities, county facilities, and other public buildings, with concerns raised about staffing, bandwidth, and competing public use. SB 270, a sunshine-law measure allowing board members to attend informational meetings and presentations, drew opposition from the Public First Law Center, which argued it would create a broad loophole and should be narrowed to existing county-council provisions. SB 45, concerning neighborhood board meetings and third-party presentations, prompted discussion about whether it actually addressed neighborhood boards’ Sunshine Law concerns; the committee was told it was not the right vehicle for that issue. SB 406, which would cap copying fees for government records at 5 cents per page with exceptions, drew support from media and transparency groups but opposition from DAGS, which said its actual per-page cost is much higher; members discussed possible electronic-copy alternatives and asked for more cost information before the next hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• For fiscal years state school librarian.
• </c><00:36:40.720><c> school</c><00:36:40.960><c> librarian</c> 26 and 27, the state school librarian
• Section 9 states that the funding for the state school librarian at the Department of Education continues
• Section 9 states that the funding for the state school librarian at the Department of Education continues
• > for the state school librarian at the for the state school librarian at the department<01:40:26.320

Transcript Highlights:

• have states like New United States, we have states like New Jersey,<00:29:12.559><c> like</c><00:29:
• </c> every individual living in our state. every individual living in our state.
• Stacy Aldridge, State Librarian of the Hawaii State Public Library System.
• State your name. Hello.
• State your name. up. State your name.

Bills: HB2437 , HB2461 , HB2604 , HB2605 , HB1860 , HB2001

Committee: House Culture & Arts

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts heard several measures focused on arts funding, public art, performing arts, and libraries. HB 2437 would appropriate funds for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ Artists in the Schools program; the Foundation testified in strong support, explaining that demand has increased and that additional funding would allow more schools to be served. HB 2461 would raise the ceiling for the works of art special fund and provide money for maintenance and a collections manager position; the Foundation supported it and described major conservation needs, including large-scale repairs to public artworks such as the Tadashi Sato work in Hilo and the King Kamehameha statue, as well as ongoing bronze maintenance and new commissions affected by rising materials costs. HB 2604 would create a performing arts ticket surcharge; the Attorney General and Department of Taxation raised drafting and administration concerns, while the State Foundation supported the concept. HB 2605 would create a position to coordinate specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved neurodivergent populations, and the Foundation supported that measure as well. HB 1860 would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra and require annual reports; the Attorney General suggested clarifying the public purpose, and the Symphony, youth symphony, and many community supporters testified in favor, emphasizing educational, cultural, and civic benefits. HB 20001 would designate the first Friday in February as Love My Library Day; the State Public Library System, Friends of the Library, and individual testifiers strongly supported it, describing libraries as essential community and educational resources. After hearing testimony, the committee took action on several bills. HB 2437 was recommended for passage with amendments in HD1, with the appropriation blanked out and the additional needed funding to be noted for Finance consideration; the vote was unanimous among members present. HB 2604 was also recommended for passage with HD1 and technical amendments, including deleting the term “Hawaii-based,” clarifying that student performances at public charter schools are exempt, aligning recordkeeping provisions with tax law, and setting an effective date of January 1, 2027. HB 2461 was deferred to decision-making on Friday, February 13. The transcript also indicates the committee moved through the remaining measures after testimony, but the excerpt ends before final votes are shown for HB 2605, HB 1860, and HB 20001.