Transcript Highlights:

• So in lieu of taking the case to trial, it was a negotiation. >> Why would you need to take the case
• to trial?
• So in lie of taking the case<00:20:47.760><c> to</c><00:20:47.919><c> trial,</c><00:20:48.880><c> it<
• </c> case to trial, it was a negotiation. case to trial, it was a negotiation.
• trial? trial?

Summary: The Judiciary Committee first considered Governor’s Message 574, confirming Michael Tenoi to continue serving on the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation through June 30, 2028. Several supporters testified, and Tenoi said he valued working with Hawaii and national commissioners and hoped to focus on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data security. The committee recommended advise and consent and adopted the measure, with a photo taken afterward. The committee then heard HB 1519 on campaign contributions, which would require disclosure of compensated officers and immediate family members of certain state contractors and grantees. The Campaign Spending Commission and State Procurement Office supported the bill but asked for clarifying amendments; several advocacy groups supported the measure but urged stronger language, including removing branch-of-government limits and narrowing loopholes. The chair proposed amendments to remove monetary thresholds, limit the bill to paid officers, add appropriations for the Campaign Spending Commission and State Procurement Office, define “officer” more broadly, and note that false-name contributions are already felonies. The committee voted to pass HB 1519 with amendments. HB 2250, the claims against the state bill, drew testimony from the Attorney General and multiple departments in support, but members raised extensive questions about why many claims would be paid from the general fund, how corrective action is being pursued, and the handling of several specific claims, including wrongful imprisonment, a cesspool citation, Department of Corrections deaths, a large special education settlement, a charter school lease dispute, and an outdated check. Because of those outstanding questions, the committee postponed decision-making on HB 2250 until Tuesday, March 24, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 016. Later, the committee also considered Governor’s Message 725, confirming Daniel M. Gluck as an associate judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals; the committee recommended consent and adopted the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're hurting people in two different ways here, not getting a speedy trial and not getting justice
• So we're hurting people in two different ways here, not getting a speedy trial and not getting justice
• So it is not, I don't think it is accurate that most of the trials are crash-related.
• So it is not, I don't think it is accurate that most of the trials are crash-related.
• I don't think it is accurate that most of the trials are crash-related.

Committee: House Community Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• , for the three years, you know, if someone doesn't do what they're supposed to do, they're in the trial—I
• There's no speedy trial. There's no demand I can be made for it.
• to a state so that they can sit in a courtroom and identify who the judge is and be able to stand trial
• if a trial even happens, because usually they just come back and get dismissed for time served. ...is
• if a trial even happens, because usually they just come back and get dismissed for time served.

Bills: S0600 , S0760 , S1012 , S1326 , S1488 , S1536 , S1544 , S1750

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: bail bonds, pretrial release, forfeiture, criminal justice, Florida statutes, bond conditions, surety, violations of release conditions, violent crimes, victim safety, public safety, warrantless arrest, probable cause, pretrial detention, first appearance hearing, law enforcement immunity, domestic violence, stalking, battery, aggravated assault

Transcript Highlights:

• current law and strengthens Texas' commitment to protecting vulnerable witnesses and ensuring fair trials
• It also allows the trial to take place where the victims have been targeted, and it enhances the ability
• of prosecutors to obtain witnesses and the records that are needed at the time of trial because they
• Thank you. ...a trial because they are local records.
• What it's really doing is turning grand jury into a trial, and trials are long and they're expensive,

Bills: HB75 , HB108

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: building standards, youth camps, floodplains, safety regulations, environmental policies, drainage utilities, flood management, land use regulation, county authority, drainage fees

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice and public safety bills, with most measures focused on tougher penalties, victim protections, and procedural changes. Bills discussed included HB 75, requiring magistrates to make written findings when denying probable cause despite believing an arrestee committed an offense; HB 413, limiting pretrial detention so it cannot exceed the maximum jail term for the charged offense, with competency-related exceptions; HB 1422, expanding sexual assault survivor protections and increasing penalties for certain sexual offenses and voyeurism; HB 2073, increasing penalties for violating protective orders or bond conditions while armed; HB 2593, raising indecent assault penalties against elderly or disabled victims; HB 108, enhancing punishment when body armor is used during violent crimes; HB 3816, expanding cruelty-to-livestock offenses to include unlawful controlled-substance administration; HB 2854, requiring parole officers to notify hospitals or law enforcement when violent parolees visit hospital premises; HB 1871, increasing punishment for attempted capital murder of a peace officer and making such offenders ineligible for parole; HB 3463, clarifying notice methods in theft-of-service cases; HB 2348, allowing video-recorded depositions of elderly or disabled witnesses; HB 2594, expanding venue options for cybercrime and digital theft prosecutions; HB 2761, clarifying that children cannot be deemed to consent to prostitution-related offenses; HB 3185, authorizing administrative subpoenas in cybercrime investigations; HB 2017, increasing penalties for certain intoxication manslaughter cases involving undocumented immigrants with prior DWI convictions; HB 2306, making certain trafficking offenses ineligible for parole; HB 1607, allowing a rear-only license plate when a vehicle lacks a front bracket; HB 1828, creating a legislative leave pool for TDCJ correctional officers; and HB 3664, requiring prospective grand jurors to complete training and proposing additional changes to grand jury procedure in a future substitute. The committee also took up HB 3073, the Summer Willis Act, which would clarify consent in sexual assault law and address intoxication-related incapacity; the committee substitute narrowed the language to situations where the perpetrator knows the other person cannot consent because of intoxication or impairment, while removing withdrawal-of-consent and “reasonably should know” language from the House version. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes adopted, including HB 3463, HB 2594, HB 3073, and HB 3073’s substitute, and most bills were left pending after no invited or public testimony or after hearing testimony. Public testimony was especially extensive on HB 3073, with survivors, advocates, and prosecutors supporting broader consent language, while some prosecutors said the substitute was an improvement but still favored the House version’s broader protections. HB 3664 drew significant opposition from district attorneys, who argued that mandatory transcription or recording of grand jury testimony would be costly, chill grand juror questioning, and complicate timely presentations; concerns were also raised about new-evidence requirements and grand jury shopping. No final votes were taken on the bills discussed in the transcript, and the committee recessed partway through to return to the floor before continuing its hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• by creating a clear rebuttable presumption of grave disability for individuals found unfit to stand trial
• It requires that people be civilly committed if they are unable to stand trial, they're found to be incompetent
• If they are unable to stand trial, they're found to be incompetent, and then ultimately that they're
• .through the process for getting him restored, or at least brought to competence so he could stand trial

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• But modeling this report after the show trials of Congress is bad.
• But modeling this report after the show trials of Congress is bad.
• </c><00:34:04.320><c> of</c> report after after the show trials of report after after the show trials
• I was out there as a is show trial.
• </c> I absolutely reject that show trial I absolutely reject that show trial notion. notion. notion.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• the the they try to go to trial the the they try to go to trial the the complainer the person who swore
• on a murder case and he's an trial on a murder case and he's an trial on a murder case and during the
• trial in his case in Chief during the trial in his case in Chief during the trial in his case in Chief
• but his name is really so murder trial but his name is really so murder trial but his name is really
• if you got a job if you got a trial if you got a job if you got a trial if you got a job if you got

Bills: SB82 , SB78 , SB4 , SB6 , SB62 , SB66 , SB77 , SB63 , SB79 , SB53 , SB55 , HB14

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: SB82, warrant recall, outstanding warrants, stale warrants, misdemeanor warrants, Class B misdemeanor, Class C misdemeanor, municipal magistrate, circuit court clerk, criminal procedure, court administration, docket cleanup, warrant audit, law enforcement notification, domestic violence, sex offense, weapons offense, deadly weapon, dangerous instrument, felony-related charges

Transcript Highlights:

• She then had to face her dad in trial.
• She then had to face her dad in trial.
• Washington already has many protections for children and teenage victims at trial that address many of
• and cannot be used against the party in any proceeding. ...would be inadmissible as evidence at trial
• and cannot be used against the party in any proceeding would be inadmissible as evidence at trial, and

Summary: The Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. On SB 5906, the SAFE Act, staff and Sen. Hansen described protections limiting immigration enforcement access to non-public areas in schools, early learning settings, higher education, health care facilities, adult family homes, and ballot-processing areas, and restricting collection of immigration-status information. Supporters said the bill would clarify and strengthen existing Keep Washington Working policies, while some witnesses requested amendments to better define health care facilities, clarify adult family home and election-related provisions, and keep Section 6 on ballot security. Some members questioned the factual basis for reported ICE activity near schools and daycares and the distinction between judicial and administrative warrants. The committee also heard SB 5886 on personality rights and forged digital likenesses. Staff explained that the bill would add digitally created or modified likenesses to the Personality Rights Act, raise civil penalties, and allow recovery of actual and non-economic damages in forged-digital-likeness cases. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to address AI deepfakes and identity misuse while preserving satire and fair use; student and advocacy witnesses supported the measure as a way to protect students and victims of digital impersonation. The committee then heard SB 5169, which expands child hearsay and closed-circuit testimony rules to older children and additional offenses. Prosecutors and forensic interviewers supported the bill as necessary in trafficking and child abuse cases, while defense advocates opposed it as an overbroad expansion that could raise confrontation-clause issues and create legal challenges. Additional hearings included SB 5865, which would move garnishment form updates from statute to the Washington Pattern Forms Committee; judges supported it as a way to fix a wage-withholding calculation error and allow future updates without legislation. SB 5912 would reinstate the Indigent Defense Task Force to study statewide public defense delivery and recommend sustainable reforms; counties, the Office of Public Defense, and defense groups supported it. SB 6009 would make permanent the current process for direct review of administrative decisions by the Court of Appeals and retain land-use transfer provisions; a Court of Appeals judge supported the bill. SB 6087 would extend limited liability for donations of children’s items to religious organizations and add strollers and car seats, with support from Zero Waste Washington. The committee did not take final votes on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• that relate to a life-threatening or rare disease, the clinical committee must evaluate all clinical trials
• in peer-reviewed literature and also consider any information that indicates that scientific trials
• A randomized control trial means splitting patients into groups and sometimes asking one group to wait
• Progress happened not because of a large trial, but because families refuse to give up, and researchers
• Valid clinical trials and scientific data when evaluating technologies and making benefit decisions for

Summary: The Health Care and Wellness Committee held a public hearing on several bills and a joint memorial. SB 5915 would update the health technology assessment program by adding technologies recommended for Medicare populations or in national guidelines to the review priority list, requiring broader evidence review for life-threatening or rare diseases, and setting timelines for posting and deciding review requests. Supporters, including rare disease advocates and providers, said the current process is outdated and too rigid; the bill was then held for later action. SJM 8002 urged Congress to strengthen original Medicare, oppose privatization, add benefits like dental, vision, and hearing, and reduce Medicare Advantage overpayments and fraud. Supporters from labor and senior groups argued it would protect beneficiaries and send a message to federal officials; the memorial was also held after testimony. The committee also heard SB 5395 on prior authorization. Staff explained it would tighten notice requirements, require a licensed clinician—not AI alone—to deny requests based on medical necessity, add transparency around policy changes, and change how retrospective denials are treated. The prime sponsor and provider groups said the bill was a negotiated compromise meant to reduce delays and inappropriate denials, while insurers were generally neutral but sought a narrow amendment. Testifiers described prior authorization as a major source of delay and administrative burden, and the bill was held after public testimony. SB 5845 would require carriers to pay or deny clean claims within 30 days, set timelines for non-clean claims and information requests, and allow penalties for repeated noncompliance. Hospitals, physicians, and health systems supported it as a way to improve predictable payment, while insurers were neutral and asked for a narrow amendment; the bill was also held. The committee heard SB 6025, which would change the definition of fetal death so gestational age is calculated using the best clinically accurate age rather than the last menstrual period. Obstetric and nursing witnesses said the current law can force inaccurate records and unnecessary burdens on grieving families, while opponents objected to the bill’s abortion-related definitions. The bill was held after testimony. Finally, SB 5988 would authorize the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge fees to support that work. The department and the sponsor said the measure would preserve a patient-centered accreditation option amid budget pressure, and the committee closed testimony and held the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the past president of Washington Defense Trial Lawyers.
• I am also a member of the Washington Defense Trial Lawyers. I'm the current treasurer. And as Mr.
• I am also a member of the Washington defense trial lawyers. I'm the current treasurer. And as Mr.
• I am a Washington trial attorney. I'm also a bicyclist. I'm here in support of HB 2095.
• Now, traffic tickets are not admissible at trial, but insurers rely heavily on them.

Bills: HB2095

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: public safety, vulnerable users, pedestrians, protected classes, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• So members, the bill as a whole is about putting in one place information about how our pre-trial detention
• Again, right now, if you ask a question like, how many people are being held pre-trial in this state,
• I would have gone to court, gone to trial, and risked a trial by jury."
• this, there has to be an enormously good reason to give up this certainty and risk full conviction at trial
• that, you have to have a very good reason to put your case back to the beginning and risk going to trial

Bills: HF2233 , HF1999 , HF1995 , HF1614 , HF2781 , HF1775 , HF1316 , HF2127 , HF2521 , HF689 , HF2380 , HF1273

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not about punishing someone for a single mistake, and it is not a broad expansion of pre-trial
• It is not about punishing someone for a single mistake, and it is not a broad expansion of pre-trial
• It is not about punishing someone for a single mistake, and it is not a broad expansion of pre-trial
• It is not about punishing someone for a single mistake, and it is not a broad expansion of pre-trial
• </c> the person will fail to appear for trial the person will fail to appear for trial if<00:56:55.520

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:54.799><c> school</c><00:32:55.159><c> which</c> fulfilled in our 2025 trial school which
• She said she thought they needed to make sure that trial school for all of their public attorneys was
• She then asked whether there is a similar appropriation for public defenders' trial school, and said
• were wondering whether there is a similar appropriation for public defenders' trial school.
• The speaker asked whether there is a similar appropriation for public defenders' trial school.

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> population comes to us our pre trial population comes to us our pre trial population<04:39:44.040
• , and pre-trial misdemeanor population, respectively, is over 900.
• and pre-trial sentence mdent pre-trial and pre-trial misdem<04:40:07.240><c> meent</c><04:40:07.520><
• and just detention until trial, then that's a different kind of service. pre-trial because right you
• just pre-trial and just detention<05:07:06.400><c> until</c><05:07:06.760><c> trial</c><05:07:07.200

Summary: The Committee on Finance held its first informational briefing for 2025, beginning with member introductions and then hearing an economic outlook presentation from Dr. Eugene Tian of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Dr. Tian said Hawaii’s economy was in relatively good shape in several areas, especially construction, which he described as at a historical high, with construction employment above 40,000 monthly and building permit values and contracting tax base both up sharply. He also noted real estate sales had rebounded in 2024, the labor market had stabilized with unemployment around 2.9%, and initial unemployment claims were below 2019 levels. At the same time, he highlighted challenges including inflation running above the national rate, a shrinking labor force, lower employment compared with 2023, and continued weakness in visitor spending and arrivals. He said future growth would likely come from health care, professional services, construction, tourism recovery, and diversified sectors such as renewable energy, aquaculture, creative industries, and technology. Dr. Tian also discussed Hawaii’s economic structure and recovery, saying the state remains more concentrated in a few industries than the U.S. overall, with government and hospitality making up larger shares of the economy. He said non-tourism sectors had recovered, but tourism-related jobs and output were still below pre-pandemic levels, with Maui and the visitor industry still affected by the wildfire and COVID-19 impacts. He projected tourism and non-agricultural wage and salary jobs would not fully recover until 2027, and said population trends remain a concern because of aging, the likelihood of deaths outpacing births in coming years, and reliance on in-migration. After his presentation, the chair said questions would be taken later and the committee took a short break. After the break, Dr. Carano of the Hawaii Executive Director’s office presented a second outlook, saying Hawaii’s economy in 2025 looked better than 2024 overall, though he emphasized substantial uncertainty tied to the incoming federal administration. He said possible changes to tariffs, tax policy, immigration, and federal spending could raise inflation and keep interest rates higher than previously expected, which would affect housing, consumer debt, the dollar, and Hawaii’s visitor industry. He noted that U.S. visitors account for roughly three-quarters of visitor spending in the state, making federal policy especially important. He also said deregulation could be a long-term positive but would not likely have much effect in 2025 or 2026. As an additional risk, he pointed to bird flu and its effect on livestock, poultry, and egg prices. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a private attorney, and I've been practicing law for about 37 years, most of it in trial practice
• You can always bring it up at trial. They're legally right.
• Then, just before my final trial, my ex invoked Rule 2.
• And now this sealing is being used as a cloaking device to rewrite his murder trial with allegations
• We have trial in three days, and I literally just ran over here from meeting with the GAL because he

Committee: Senate Senate Federalism and Family Law Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2793, which would let cities and towns expedite annexations when 100% of the affected property owners request it, and would modernize notice requirements by allowing electronic newspaper publication and a single on-site notice for small single-parcel annexations. Buckeye supported the bill as a way to streamline uncontested annexations and reduce delay and cost, while a senator raised concerns based on a recent contentious Tucson annexation and the speed of public notice. The committee voted 4-3 to give HB 2793 a do pass recommendation. Members then considered HB 2041, which would prohibit a parent, guardian, or custodian from being found to have abused or neglected a child solely because poverty prevented them from providing supervision, clothing, food, shelter, or medical care. Child welfare advocates supported the bill as a step toward decriminalizing poverty, while another witness argued it did not go far enough because it still allowed investigations based on poverty. Several members said they supported the concept but wanted further changes, and the bill passed 4-3. The committee also approved HB 2239, creating a child care grant program and infrastructure fund at DES to expand access in underserved areas; testimony from child care providers and parents emphasized shortages, workforce challenges, and the need for facilities, and the committee adopted an amendment adding tax credit language and eligible applicants before passing the bill 6-0 with one not voting. HB 2321, requiring DCS to place a credit freeze on a child’s credit report when the child enters care, passed 7-0 without testimony. HB 2371, allowing consenting divorcing parties without minor children to use AI-assisted arbitration and adding an amendment on therapeutic interventions and expert testimony in parenting cases, drew concerns about using AI for binding family-law decisions and about the amendment’s relevance; it passed 4-3. HB 2594, strengthening protections for participants in the address confidentiality program in family-law matters and sealing related voter records, received strong support from a witness describing repeated attempts by an ex-partner to obtain a protected address and passed 7-0 after amendment. HB 2661, requiring DCS to inform parents under investigation that they may delegate temporary guardianship and, as amended, limiting additional documentation requirements, passed 4-3 despite concerns that it gave too much discretion to parents accused of abuse or neglect.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission on Trial Court Appointments, Maricopa County: Susan Stodola.
• Commission on Trial Court Appointments, Maricopa County: Roy Tatum Jr.
• Commission on Trial Court appointments, Maricopa County, Susan Stodola.
• Commission on Trial Court appointments, Maricopa County, Roy Tatum.
• Appointments Maricopa County Susan Stodola Commission on Trial Court Appointments Maricopa County Roy

Transcript Highlights:

• Approaches are trial-oriented, and due process is paramount to avoid suppression issues, so family cooperation
• Chair, someone drops a speedy trial demand on 180 days, and they're 208 for DNA. That's not good.
• Someone drops a speedy trial demand on 180 days, and they're 208 for DNA. That's not good.
• that from my experience in those cases: I can just call the investigative officer and say the speedy trial
• The first is suspect is either in custody, ascertained, pending trial, and you're working within the

Summary: The committee met with Senators Garcia and Simon excused and heard a presentation from FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard on homicide and violent-crime investigations, focusing on access to blood evidence, toxicology, medical records, mental health records, and the legal limits imposed by Florida law, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2. He explained that autopsy evidence collected by medical examiners is generally available to law enforcement, while hospital records and mental health/substance abuse records usually require subpoenas, court orders, or consent, which can delay investigations. He also discussed the difference between DNA testing and toxicology testing, the role of warrants and probable cause for living suspects, and the special rules that apply when a suspect is deceased. Members asked detailed questions about what toxicology panels include, whether medications can be tested for, how medical examiners review prior medical history, and whether FDLE tracks data linking violent crime to mental health issues or follow up with regulators after incidents. Pollard said the agency follows investigative leads where relevant, but regulatory follow-up depends on the circumstances. He also discussed behavioral threat assessment and management, and said risk protection orders have been used effectively to prevent violence and can lead to court-ordered evaluations and services. The committee then shifted to crime lab capacity and turnaround times. Pollard said the average DNA turnaround time was 208 days for some evidence, with anything over 30 days considered backlog, but that sexual assault kits are prioritized and generally handled much faster, with rush cases sometimes completed within 24 hours. Members expressed concern about delays in unsolved violent and sexual assault cases and asked what resources would help reduce backlog; Pollard said additional analysts would improve turnaround times. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenter and adjournment after Senator Bernard moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• ...do you know if the department has any experience in managing drug trials?
• </c> clinical trials. That's not what we do. clinical trials. That's not what we do.
• There are currently trials.
• </c><06:03:36.480><c> Uh</c> participate in a clinical trial. Uh participate in a clinical trial.
• </c> clinical trials. clinical trials. &gt;&gt; Thank<06:06:08.160><c> you.</c> &gt;&gt; Thank you.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs heard HB 1790-FN, which would address involuntary admissions for certain individuals with a substance use disorder. Representative Lucy Weber introduced the bill for Representative Long, and the committee heard extensive testimony both in support of and in opposition to the proposal. Opponents, including John Burns of SOS Recovery and Jake Barry of New Futures, argued that involuntary commitment is not well supported by research, can retraumatize people, may increase overdose risk after release, and could undermine New Hampshire’s existing recovery and harm-reduction efforts. They emphasized that treatment should be voluntary, trauma-informed, and paired with housing, recovery supports, and other community-based services. Representative Long said he was willing to accept DHHS’s request to amend the bill into a study commission, though he expressed concern that a prior state study had not led to action. He said the commission should focus on implementation details, including where people would be placed, staffing, withdrawal management, elopement prevention, length of commitment, and aftercare. He described involuntary commitment as one tool for people with severe dangerous addictions, distinct from drug court, and said it could help avoid criminal records. Committee members asked about capacity at New Hampshire Hospital and how the proposal would work in practice. DHHS officials Katya Fox and Cynthia Pabonis testified that the bill raises major policy and fiscal concerns. They said New Hampshire’s current system has benefited from investments in naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, recovery centers, and community-based services, and that those investments have helped reduce overdose deaths. They estimated the bill would require a new 70-bed facility costing about $40 million to build and about $33.3 million annually to operate, with only a small portion offset by insurance, plus more than $600,000 in annual legal costs and additional staffing and system changes. They also said New Hampshire Hospital has 185 beds, with about 100 patients typically ready for less restrictive settings, and that housing shortages are a major bottleneck. NAMI New Hampshire also testified in opposition, saying families often want any possible treatment for loved ones but still opposed the bill. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been on the bench for 20 years, mostly in Sheridan and in Johnson County, and we have seen, I think
• I've</c><02:17:19.040><c> been</c><02:17:19.200><c> on</c><02:17:19.359><c> the</c><02:17:19.519><c> bench
• I've been on the bench for 20 to answer.
• I've been on the bench for 20 years<02:17:21.920><c> uh</c><02:17:22.479><c> mostly</c><02:17:22.880>

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• and where trial results in a criminal conviction.
• </c><01:21:57.719><c> motion</c> sentencing or another post-trial motion sentencing or another post-trial
• </c> that point or in some other post trial that point or in some other post trial motion<01:23:31.679
• This should be part of the trial.'
• </c> video this should be part of the trial video this should be part of the trial but<04:02:09.960><

Summary: The committee first heard CACR 6, a proposed constitutional amendment by Representative Keith Ammon to recognize a fundamental right to use computation resources. Ammon argued that computing is now essential to daily life, speech, education, and economic opportunity, and said the amendment was intended to push back against government or corporate restrictions, citing a 2023 federal executive order on AI registration and reporting as an example of the kind of precedent he wanted to oppose. He said the proposal should be simple and clear because it would go to voters, and he compared the right to compute to other constitutional rights that do not require the government to provide the underlying tools. Committee members raised concerns about the breadth of the language, including whether it could affect encryption, authentication, network security, energy use, and other regulatory issues. Representative McFarland questioned whether the amendment could interfere with security measures, while others asked whether it would prevent ordinary network management such as throttling or require the state to provide internet access or hardware. Ammon responded that the right would not entitle someone to other people’s resources and said encryption and similar issues would sort themselves out. Several members also raised concerns about child safety, public safety, and whether existing laws could still regulate misuse of computing; Ammon said reasonable limits would still apply, similar to other constitutional rights. Sarah Scott of Americans for Prosperity testified in support, saying the amendment would protect innovation, individual autonomy, and economic competitiveness by preventing overregulation. After questions concluded, the chair closed the hearing on CACR 6. The committee then opened House Bill 615, sponsored by Representative Dan Maguire, which would substantially rewrite the state’s drug-forfeiture law. Maguire said the bill is intended to improve fairness and efficiency in cases where property such as cars or cash is seized in connection with drug offenses, noting that the criminal case and the civil forfeiture case are currently handled separately, with the property case prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office. He explained that the bill addresses courtroom procedure for these forfeiture actions and is meant to make the process more specific and orderly.