Transcript Highlights:

• And for fiscal year 2024, if you look at the third bullet, the reason why there is a difference there
• And for fiscal year 2024, if you look at the third bullet, the reason why there is a difference there
• And for fiscal year 2024, if you look at the third bullet, the reason why there is a difference there
• And for fiscal year 2024, if you look at the third bullet, the reason why there is a difference there
• <00:37:45.760> year date start um the uh for fiscal year date start um the uh for fiscal year

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also does not allow HUD to cap Tier 1 projects below 60% for fiscal year 2026 funding.
• It also does not allow HUD to cap Tier 1 projects below 60% for fiscal year 2026 funding.
• I, too, am very thankful for the report and the in-depth analysis that was done.
• And we are still in the preliminary stages of our analysis of the surveys and the results we have.
• So if we change models, has the department started the budgeting process in regards to a fiscal note

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fiscal note, when you look at these fiscal notes that say zero, that’s the direct cost to the state
• <01:53:55.040> note<01:53:55.440> of your fiscal note of your fiscal note of zero.<
• The fiscal note, when you look at these<01:54:17.520> fiscal<01:54:17.920> notes<01:54:
• 54:24.560> no fiscal notes have absolutely no fiscal notes have absolutely no consideration<01
• necessary for traffic safety analysis. necessary for traffic safety analysis.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know we have some analysis.
• I know we have some analysis.
• We'd be happy to provide a fiscal analysis on some of the bills that are moving at this time. a nonprofit
• /c><00:37:36.920> the<00:37:37.000> bills fiscal analysis on some of the bills fiscal analysis
• I see $10 million in fiscal year 2028, $10 million in 2029.

Bills: HF1005

Keywords: health insurance, medical assistance, behavioral health, reimbursement rates, primary care services, physician fee schedule, managed care, residential services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any analysis that you're aware of?
• And then that's something we can use in our analysis.
• Yes, that's part of the impact analysis. What's the potential impact to shipping?
• When you think of efficiency, fiscal accountability, and trust, you can think of us.
• When you think of efficiency, fiscal accountability, and trust, you can think of us.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've talked to informed me about this, but have we requested a fiscal note on this?
• I've talked to informed me about this, but have we requested a fiscal note on this?
• I've talked to informed me about this, but have we requested a fiscal note on this?
• I've talked to informed me about this, but have we requested a fiscal note on this?
• But have we requested a fiscal note on this? I have not. Why don't we do that?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum, first taking up referred administrative regulations. One regulation was deferred, and two others were noted as deficient; with no one wishing to speak, the committee treated the regulations as reviewed. The committee then heard Senate Bill 13 from Chairman Meredith, which would reduce the number of Medicaid managed care organizations from five to three. Meredith argued the bill would reduce administrative burden, improve oversight, help rural providers, and potentially lower costs for families and the Medicaid program. Senators Berg, Herron, and Douglas asked about data, patient impact, network adequacy, and prior authorization burdens; Meredith said the effect on patients would be indirect through better access and less administrative delay. The committee approved a committee substitute and passed SB 13 favorably on a 10-0 vote. The committee next considered Senate Joint Resolution 26, presented by Senator Richardson and Kentucky Pharmacists Association Executive Director Ben Mudd. The resolution asks the Department of Medicaid Services to provide data and cost analysis on paying pharmacists fairly for clinical services already within their scope of practice under Medicaid and KCHIP. Supporters said pharmacists can improve access, especially in rural areas, by providing services such as medication therapy management, chronic disease management, and preventive care, and that the resolution is intended to gather information before any future bill. Senator Douglas questioned whether expanded pharmacy duties have actually improved access or outcomes and whether there is published data; Mudd said the Board of Pharmacy tracks use of protocols but that more data is needed. The committee approved the resolution by roll call, with all members voting aye. At the end of the meeting, Chairman Meredith announced that Senate Bill 27 would be heard for discussion only and not acted on that day so members could review it further. Senator Brandon Storm introduced SB 27, which would create a Kentucky Parkinson’s disease research registry, and noted that a Michael J. Fox Foundation representative could not attend because of a winter storm; her letter was included in the packet. Storm said the registry is intended to support research and policy by tracking Parkinson’s disease in Kentucky, citing national prevalence and cost figures. No vote was taken on SB 27 during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:04.000> analysis<00:10:04.640> Department Beckle House fiscal analysis Department
• Beckle House fiscal analysis Department we<00:10:05.720> are<00:10:05.920> also<00:10:
• And then the final three columns show fiscal years 28 through 29. Fiscal years 26 and 27, as Mr.
• The dollar amounts for fiscal year 24 are 7,138; 25, 7,281; have read fiscal years 24 through 25 and
• in fiscal years 28 and 29.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met on January 21, 2025, for its first hearing of the session and began with organizational business. Members and staff introduced themselves, described their districts and backgrounds, and the chair reviewed committee procedures, including how to request bill hearings, amendment deadlines, and handout deadlines. The committee also heard introductions from nonpartisan and partisan staff, including House Research and House Fiscal Analysis personnel who will support the committee’s work this session. The main substantive item was an overview presentation on the state budget and education finance process. Staff explained how Minnesota’s general fund is forecast twice a year, how the committee should read the budget documents and aid/levy tracking sheets, and how the current biennium compares with the upcoming budget window. They described the November forecast, noted that the committee will later receive the February forecast, and outlined the committee’s role in reviewing K-12 state aid spending, school district revenue, and property tax impacts. Staff walked through the aid appropriation summary spreadsheet and explained its columns, including end-of-session spending, fiscal year 2024-25 actuals and estimates, and the 2026-27 and 2028-29 planning horizons. They emphasized that many education programs are forecast-driven and can change with enrollment and other data. The presentation also summarized the state’s overall revenue mix and spending priorities, noting that K-12 education is the largest general fund category and that state aid makes up the majority of school revenue. No bills were heard and no votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• projects, as well as wanting to reiterate comments made in previous hearings and express support for the fiscal
• We really appreciate staff's analysis recommendation there, and we continue to add our continued concerns
• We really appreciate staff's analysis recommendation there, and we continue to add our continued concerns
• testify today but wish to, please submit your comments or suggestions in writing to the Budget and Fiscal

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a fiscal policy related to that, and I'll just go. Is it based on each department?
• Chairman, Senator Davison, the OMB fiscal policy on this issue Mr.
• But to me, staying on top of these things, good fiscal management. Is it possible? Yes.
• We also frequently do data analysis.
• And we also frequently do data analysis.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that was back in fiscal year 23-24. We did not implement those fees right away.
• I’m the Interim Division Chief for the Fiscal Service Division at CARB.
• Again, Michelle Buffington, Interim Chief of the Fiscal Services Division at CARB.
• Including conducting an environmental analysis, an economic analysis, drafting preliminary regulatory
• two-year term sometime in fiscal year 2025-2026.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is here for historical background if necessary, but I wanted to just quickly thank the committee analysis
• I want to thank you and your staff for the analysis.
• There are no amendments in the analysis, but the analysis does raise a few potential areas to work on
• There are no amendments in the analysis, but the analysis does raise a few potential areas to work on
• We want to thank the author and his staff and also the committee staff for the great analysis on this

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard several measures, including SB 402 by Senator Valadares, which would move existing qualification requirements for qualified autism service providers and related professionals from the Health and Safety Code and Insurance Code into the Business and Professions Code without changing the standards. Supporters said it was a technical cleanup that would improve consistency and legislative oversight, while an opponent argued the bill was unnecessary and could create access issues; another witness urged inclusion of the QABA credentialing board. The committee approved SB 402 on a due pass motion to the Committee on Health. The committee also heard SB 378 by Senator Wiener, aimed at online platforms that facilitate sales of illicit cannabis and intoxicating hemp products. Supporters, including labor, local government, and cannabis industry representatives, said the bill would help protect consumers, minors, legal businesses, and tax revenue by creating accountability for online marketplaces. Opponents from the hemp industry and TechNet argued the bill was overly broad, could sweep in legitimate platforms and payment services, and should better distinguish bad actors from compliant hemp businesses; members discussed implementation, enforcement through a private right of action, and coordination with AB 8. The committee passed SB 378 to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. Senator Arreguín presented SB 779, which would establish minimum enforcement fines for Contractors State License Board citations where minimums are currently very low or absent, and would raise the board’s reserve cap from six months to 12 months. The sponsor said the changes would better match penalties to violations and help support consumer protection and board operations during economic downturns. There was no opposition, and the committee approved SB 779 as amended to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, which included SB 344 and AB 652, both sent to Appropriations. SB 508 was not heard because it had been pulled by the author.

Transcript Highlights:

• year and to be awarded before the end of the fiscal year.
• Last fiscal year, the department provided two grant awards from the $500,000 appropriation.
• Analysis. All good. Additional questions, members? Vice Chair, you're recognized.
• The department contracted last fiscal year, Research.
• And again, for the expanded 23 counties throughout the state, this is new this fiscal year. Yes.

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met for an introductory and oversight briefing from the Florida Department of Health on implementation of several 2024 laws. The committee heard first from Jennifer Winhold on practitioner-regulation measures, including SB 1716 and SB 1600, which expanded workforce pathways through foreign-trained physician licensure, area-of-critical-need temporary certificates for APRNs and physician assistants, graduate assistant physician licenses, interstate compacts, and a new universal licensure-by-endorsement process. She also reviewed HB 197 on massage therapy enforcement, HB 975 on broader background screening, HB 1561 on office-surgery and liposuction safeguards, HB 159 on pharmacist HIV post-exposure prophylaxis certification, and HB 1063 on chiropractic dry needling and foreign degree licensure. Members asked about compact scope, foreign graduate requirements, massage enforcement overlap with DBPR, and registration thresholds for liposuction procedures. Dr. Emma Spencer then outlined implementation of SB 76 and related programs, including changes to the FRAME and dental loan repayment programs, the volunteer health care provider program, the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Health Care Innovation Council and revolving loan program, and the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program. She said the department had updated portals, posted forms, launched or was developing public search tools, and submitted required reports and contracts. Members questioned whether loan repayment funds were reaching rural and underserved areas, how nonprofit applicants were being informed about the Alphonse screening grant program, the short application window for that grant, and how the department would evaluate whether the programs were improving recruitment and retention. A third presentation, delivered by Mike Mason standing in for Shea Holloway, covered maternal and child health and other public health initiatives. He reported on the telehealth maternity care program’s expansion from a pilot in Duval and Orange counties to 23 counties, the pregnancy-and-parenting resources website required by HB 415, CMV newborn screening requirements under SB 168, sickle cell registry and research grants under HB 7085, and the swim lessons voucher program under SB 544, which received nearly 10,000 requests for 3,500 vouchers and enrolled 86 facilities. Members asked about utilization, marketing, website launch timing, and how the department was promoting these services. No bills were voted on; the meeting concluded with the chair noting that more committee presentations and bills would follow and that briefing materials would be distributed to members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we begin, I want to remind any witnesses to limit their testimony to the fiscal aspect of the
• SB 962 is fiscally responsible for a measure that simply authorizes the department to implement at its
• The Senate Bill 962 is low cost, has high-discretion policy to improve safety while maintaining fiscal
• No additional input on the fiscal impact of the bill, but we are available for technical questions, as
• The analysis of the bill notes that any costs to require coverage of medically necessary treatments or

Summary: The Senate Committee on Appropriations heard a large suspense-file agenda and established a quorum at the start. SB 1167 was announced as not being heard and will be rescheduled. The Department of Finance did not attend because it had no comments on the bills before the committee. Most measures on the agenda were taken up briefly with public testimony, then moved to suspense without objection. Two bills received fuller presentations. SB 872 by Senator McNerney would create a fund to support repairs to Delta levees and State Water Project canals, with testimony from Restore the Delta, State Water Contractors, and numerous water agencies and coalitions emphasizing flood protection, water reliability for 27 million Californians, protection of state assets, and long-term infrastructure costs. Committee members noted the importance of the investment and the likelihood it would be considered in the final suspense decision; SB 872 was moved to suspense. SB 962 by Senator Archuleta would authorize CDCR to use blue emergency lights on parole vehicles, with supporters from the California Correctional Peace Officers Association citing the line-of-duty death of a parole agent and the need for a low-cost, discretionary safety tool. The bill was also moved to suspense. SB 950, dealing with coverage for FDA-approved medically necessary treatments for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, was discussed as having a minimal near-term fiscal impact, though members noted costs could rise if new treatments emerge. The committee asked the author to consider a sunset amendment, but the bill received a do pass motion and was approved on a 7-0 vote, then placed on call for additional members. The remaining bills taken up, including SB 870, SB 1120, SB 888, SB 904, SB 986, SB 1029, SB 1186, SB 895, SB 1004, SB 1123, SB 909, SB 945, SB 1037, SB 953, SB 1001, SB 1188, SB 1407, SB 967, SB 1135, SB 1136, SB 988, SB 1069, SB 1000, SB 1024, SB 1179, SB 1025, SB 1040, SB 1081, SB 1091, SB 1131, SB 1138, SB 1146, SB 1279, SB 1158, SB 1401, SB 1162, SB 1293, SB 1334, SB 1382, SB 1397, SB 1178, SB 1414, SB 1214, SB 1218, SB 1257, SB 1265, SB 1286, SB 1322, SB 1337, SB 1340, SB 1276, SB 1358, and SB 1412, were moved to the suspense file without objection, with a few witnesses registering support or opposition on selected measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that, you know, there were questions maybe I read in the analysis about the sampling size.
• And I think the bill analysis was very reflective of that, that the fiscal impact to Medicaid through
• We've done fiscal analyses, so this bill has passed in 12 other states.
• But the fiscal impact to this is not high. The per-member, per-month premium increase is minimal.
• , the fiscal impact of this, even though this is banking insurance, not a fiscal committee, is de minimis

Summary: The Banking and Insurance Committee took up several bills, beginning with CS/SB 326, which modernizes Florida’s curator statute in probate law by clarifying when curators may be appointed, what they may do, and the oversight required. The bill was reported favorably without opposition. The committee then heard SB 1256 on pharmacy audits, which would require PBM audits of pharmacies to follow uniform standards and provide due process protections; pharmacists testified in support, describing current audits as burdensome and conflicted. That bill was also reported favorably. Members next considered CS/SB 598 on funeral, cemetery, and consumer services. An amendment was adopted removing provisions on civil damage caps and phasing out direct disposers, and the bill was then reported favorably. SB 632, dealing with transportation network company insurance, would set coverage requirements for the period after a ride is accepted but before pickup; an opponent argued the existing insurance framework should not be reduced, but the bill passed on a divided vote and was reported favorably. CS/SB 786 on trusts, creating a nonjudicial process to close uncontested trusts and discharge trustees, was supported by banking and legal groups and reported favorably. The committee then took up CS/SB 1110 on Medicaid, health insurance, and HMO coverage for orthotics and prosthetics. A delete-all amendment clarified eligible recipients, and the bill drew extensive emotional testimony from amputees, parents, and advocates describing the high cost of activity limbs and the benefits for children’s health and participation. Several senators praised the testimony and the policy, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1588 on legal tender refined last session’s gold-and-silver law, and SPB 7044 created related public-records exemptions for custodians of gold and silver; both were reported favorably, with SPB 7044 adopted as a committee bill. The meeting ended with senators recording additional affirmative votes on selected bills and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that, you know, there were questions maybe I read in the analysis about the sampling size.
• And I think the bill analysis was very reflective of that, that the fiscal impact to Medicaid through
• We've done fiscal analyses, so this bill has passed in 12 other states.
• But the fiscal impact to this is not high. The per-member, per-month premium increase is minimal.
• , the fiscal impact of this, even though this is Banking and Insurance, not a fiscal committee, is de

Bills: S0326, S0598, S0632, S0786, S1110, S1256, S1380, S1588, S7042, S7044

Keywords: curators, estates, court appointment, fiduciary duty, bond requirements, removal, surrogate, funeral homes, cemetery law, cremation, embalmer, funeral director, preneed contract, preneed funeral, human remains, unclaimed cremated remains, disposition of remains, hospice, palliative care, end-of-life care

Summary: The Banking and Insurance Committee met with a quorum present and temporarily postponed SB 7042 on legal tender and SB 1380 before taking up the remaining agenda. The committee first reported favorably C.S. for SB 326, which modernizes Florida’s curator statute in probate law by clarifying when curators may be appointed, what they may do, and what oversight applies. It then reported favorably SB 1256, which standardizes PBM pharmacy audits by requiring uniform audit standards, scope, frequency, penalties, and due process protections for pharmacies; testimony from pharmacists emphasized concerns about conflicts of interest, excessive audits, and disproportionate penalties, while preserving fraud investigations. The committee also reported favorably C.S. for SB 598 on funeral and cemetery services after adopting an amendment that removed provisions on civil damages caps and phasing out direct disposers; the bill updates licensure and contract rules and addresses unclaimed remains. SB 632, which sets insurance requirements for transportation network companies during the period after a ride is accepted but before pickup, was reported favorably despite opposition from an attorney who argued the existing coverage framework should not be reduced. C.S. for SB 786, creating a nonjudicial process to close out undisputed trusts and discharge trustees, was also reported favorably. The committee then took up SB 1110, a major bill expanding Medicaid and private insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including activity limbs, and requiring annual reporting. After adopting an amendment clarifying eligible recipients, the committee heard extensive emotional testimony from amputees, parents, and advocates describing the medical, developmental, and financial importance of prosthetic coverage, and members spoke in strong support before the bill was reported favorably. Later, the committee considered SB 1588, which implements last session’s legal tender law by refining definitions, narrowing custodian provisions, eliminating unnecessary examination requirements, and repealing the sunset clause; members raised questions about verification and anti-money-laundering concerns, but the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7044 as a committee bill to expand public records exemptions to records relating to newly regulated custodians of gold and silver. The meeting concluded with senators recording additional affirmative votes on selected bills and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were seeing $16 million over four fiscal years starting in 2025 to rebuild or replace portions of
• Yes, we did talk to some fiscal analysts on the Legislature side, and they did explain that there are
• And that is $16 million over four fiscal years, and that money is in the state IT pool.
• So back to my earlier question, $16 million over basically two biennia for fiscal years.
• And essentially the lion's share of the work that we would do would be within this first next fiscal

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the accuracy and reliability of OSPI’s school apportionment system. Auditors said the system, which calculates and distributes K-12 funding using multiple feeder systems and a core apportionment engine, is outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of failure. They reported weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and staffing, and said OSPI relies heavily on manual workarounds, a few knowledgeable staff, and vendor support. In limited testing of three districts, the auditors found the system calculated funding correctly for the 2023-24 school year, but they identified nine small input discrepancies tied to differences between budget materials and state law, which they said could compound into larger dollar amounts. The auditors recommended replacing or modernizing the system and noted that delays in doing so prolong risk. OSPI largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said it has been working toward a new system for years. Agency officials clarified that the Legislature requested a feasibility study in 2022, that the study found the system at risk of catastrophic failure, and that funding for a replacement is now in the state IT pool subject to OCIO/OFM gate reviews. OSPI disputed the audit’s characterization of the rounding and budget-law discrepancies, saying the issue was an agency rule and implementation choice, not an error that caused under- or over-allocation. Officials also said the current system is too old to easily absorb future formula changes, but that the planned replacement should be flexible enough to handle a new funding model if the Legislature adopts one. Committee members asked about the amount and timing of the $16 million project funding, whether smaller districts face greater risk, how many times data is entered, and whether the funding formula should be simplified. Auditors and OSPI both emphasized that formula simplification is a policy question for the Legislature, not the audit. Public testimony came from one online witness, who urged full implementation of the audit recommendations and modernization of the system. The subcommittee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• You guys and us, I looked at the analysis, we were both on there, by Senator Richard Alarcon.
• And that kind of open-ended bonding authority does create potential fiscal risk.
• As such, I think the analysis summed up this bill very well.
• As such, I think the analysis summed up this bill very well.
• As we've heard, MTS is approaching a fiscal cliff.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so lastly, we have our chemical analysis lab.
• We use data for the statistical analysis.
• We use data for the statistical analysis.
• validity of the analysis validity of the analysis um<00:59:23.280> and<00:59:23.599> as
• Is it your analysis-driven? Where does that come in?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing of Senate and House committees focused on restricted use pesticides in Hawaiʻi, with opening remarks framing the issue as one of health, environmental impact, and state-level regulation. The briefing reviewed the history of pesticide disclosure efforts, including prior county actions, a 2016 court ruling that shifted responsibility to the state, and Act 45, which enabled disclosure of restricted use pesticide data. Speakers highlighted 2019 reporting data showing concentrated use in parts of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, especially near schools and communities, and identified fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene and metam sodium as among the heaviest-used products. Concerns were raised about potential links to cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive harms, Parkinson’s disease, and developmental effects, as well as the lack of long-term mixture studies and the need for better buffer zones, reporting, and farmer transition support. The Department of Agriculture’s pesticides program manager described the state’s regulatory framework, explaining the distinction between general use and restricted use pesticides and the department’s role under FIFRA and Hawaiʻi law. He outlined the branch’s enforcement, education/certification, registration, and laboratory functions, including inspections, complaint response, market surveillance, applicator certification, product review, groundwater protection modeling, and special registrations. He also noted staffing and resource limitations, including the absence of an in-house toxicologist and long-term monitoring capacity, and compared Hawaiʻi’s resources to California’s much larger pesticide regulatory program. He said the department supports Act 231, which was passed the previous year and is moving forward this session. A pediatrician speaking for the Hawaiʻi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized concerns about chronic low-level pesticide exposure in children, citing AAP policy statements and technical reports that associate exposure with cancer, leukemia, birth defects, neurobehavioral issues, and asthma. Drawing on work with the Kauaʻi Joint Fact Finding Task Force, the speaker said the group found the west side of the island to be an unhealthy community but could not prove causation because of missing drift, geospatial, and biomarker data. The testimony pointed to elevated cancer mortality, pneumonia admissions, obesity, dialysis, and developmental delay indicators, and described concerns about pesticide drift near schools and homes, including reports of children becoming ill after nearby spraying and low levels of chlorpyrifos detected in dust samples. An environmental health scientist from the University of Hawaiʻi described a pilot project using restricted use pesticide data in a public health context. She said the project began after seeing maps of Central Oʻahu pesticide use and aimed to pair GIS data with health and ethnicity data, while also conducting community focus groups. Preliminary focus group themes included calls to action, voting and policymaker awareness, concern about pesticide use near homes and fields, lack of community consent, and a desire to stay engaged. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Christa Boyd, Transportation fiscal analyst.
• So right now, in fiscal year 26, it's 5.5% of the sales tax.
• there's a slight decrease under fiscal there's a slight decrease under fiscal year<00:36:56.560>
• <00:37:46.640> year that if you look at fiscal year that if you look at fiscal year 27<00:
• changes um would that have a fiscal changes um would that have a fiscal impact<00:47:40.240>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The fiscal impact to the general fund is $10.6 million in fiscal 2027 and $2.1 million in fiscal 2028
• general fund is 10.6 million in fiscal general fund is 10.6 million in fiscal 27<00:20:14.320>
• <00:34:41.159> of conducted an independent analysis of conducted an independent analysis of
• He said there is no fiscal impact in fiscal year 2026, but there is an impact in fiscal year 2027.
• <01:25:04.800> 27<01:25:05.440> is fiscal impact is so high in fiscal 27 is fiscal

Bills: HF1126, HF967, HF1066, HF1669, HF926

Keywords: property tax, Indian Tribe, tax exemption, Minnesota, public charity, property tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, unorganized territory, federally recognized, soil conservation, water conservation, local government aid, environmental funding, Minnesota legislation, tax credits, sustainable aviation fuel, environmental policy, corporate franchise, Minnesota taxation, tobacco