Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Klein votes I. Senator Port votes I. Senator McEwen votes I. Senator Marty votes I.
• Senator Housley votes I. Port votes I. Senator Mchuan votes I. Port votes I.
• Senator Her votes I. Senator Klein votes I. Senator Port votes I. Senator Mchuan votes I.
• > voting Senator. voting for those voting Senator. voting for those voting pursuant<00:34:30.399
• Klein votes I. Senator Klein votes I. Klein votes I. Senator Klein votes I.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• votes.
• I urge you to preserve the integrity of the Congressional. and protect the voting rights of all Texans
• It undermines the integrity of our representation and further diminishes what remains of the Voting Rights
• Do not... dilute our vote, do not divide our voice, protect the integrity of Texas.
• And allow for these folks to vote how they vote.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The vote will now occur. This will be a voice vote.
• He waives the vote. We will now proceed to a vote. Favor the measure, vote 'aye'.
• We should vote or change the vote. Those who should vote, change the vote.
• Are there those wishing to vote or change their vote? The chair is preparing to close the vote.
• Are there those wishing to vote or change their vote? The chair is preparing to close the vote.

Bills: HCR1006, SB1226, SB1239, SB1309, SB2132, SB1189, SB1344, SB1295, SB1355, SB1998, SB1330, SB1297, SB1338, SB1546, SB1378, SB1859, SB1333, SB1341, SB1377, SB1990

Keywords: campaign finance, election spending, political spending, money in politics, constitutional amendment, Citizens United, free speech, ballot measures, elections, corruption, dark money, outside spending, foreign influence, special interests, corporations, unions, federalism, self-government, political equality, term limits

Transcript Highlights:

• Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? The gentleman from Butler County will record his vote.
• All those in favor vote yes; all those opposed will vote no. Mr.
• Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? The clerk will close the board and tally the vote.
• Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? The clerk will close the board and tally the vote.
• There is another vote coming. Has everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Mr.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal for the prior day by a vote of 118-1. The rest of the session was dominated by points of personal privilege, including farewell remarks from several outgoing members. Those speeches focused on service, family, staff, veterans, law enforcement, integrity, and concerns about lobbyist influence, with members also thanking legislative assistants and recognizing guests and family members in the chamber. The chamber then took up several bills. Senate Bill 1019, dealing with hospital finance and investment authority, was amended to align workplace violence, telehealth, prior authorization, physician licensure, and Lyme disease language, then passed 110-31. Senate Bill 1572, a pensions bill affecting police retirement, MOSERS, EMPERS, and related board provisions, drew extended debate over how to handle retirement overpayments; amendments were adopted to address technical and policy issues, and the bill passed 129-14. Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1196, concerning workforce diploma programs, Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grants, workforce Pell Grants, higher education funding, and university board residency rules, was amended and passed 115-20, but its emergency clause failed 2-132. The House also granted further conference on Senate Bill 1020. Committee reports were read on several other measures, including bills recommended to pass by Fiscal Review. Later, the House began considering Senate amendments to House Bill 2508, an LLC-related bill involving certificates of good standing, court dissolution of LLCs in limited circumstances, and a St. Louis County property-management affidavit process for repeated ordinance violations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And he hasn't voted since 2015, I'm guessing. Not in Texas. He's been voting in another state.
• say you can never vote again.
• This has to do with voter registration, not actual voting. voting itself. That's right, sir.
• To vote in state elections. Yes, yes, sir, that's right. To vote in state elections.
• to vote.

Keywords: HCR65, HCR19, Senate resolutions, memorial, community impact, legislative proceedings

Summary: The recent Senate meeting primarily covered two resolutions, HCR65 and HCR19, both of which were passed unanimously with little to no opposition. HCR65 was introduced in memory of Tracy Lee Vincent of Longview, while HCR19 was presented to honor the late Terrell Lynn Roberts of Angleton. The meeting included brief addresses from several senators, who shared personal reflections on the impacts of the individuals being honored and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the community. This collaborative atmosphere showcased the members' capacity for camaraderie and respect, emphasizing the importance of human connection in legislative proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this the vote sheets got mixed up.
• Seeing none, vice chair for the vote. Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.
• none, vice chair for the vote. none, vice chair for the vote.
• chair for the vote. chair for the vote.
• Seeing none, vice chair for the<01:20:10.719> vote. the vote. the vote.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 3025, relating to medical debt, with multiple organizations and individuals, including the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Queens Health Systems, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Aloha Care, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction, Hawaii Data Collaborative, and Hawaii Appleseed, all speaking in support. No opposition was heard, and the member present had no questions. The committee then took up SB 3199, which would establish a mental health emerging therapies task force. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, with speakers including veterans, clinicians, researchers, and advocacy groups describing personal experiences with PTSD, depression, traumatic brain injury, and treatment-resistant conditions, and arguing that Hawaii should prepare for regulated access to emerging therapies such as MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, and ibogaine. The Department of Health and some medical organizations provided comments, and one opposition witness was called but not present. The chair noted broad support, especially from veterans, and no vote was taken during the excerpt. The final measure discussed was SB 3324, relating to Medicaid. The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Aloha Care, and numerous care-provider and aging/disability organizations testified in support, while one witness was in opposition and several others offered comments. The discussion then moved to SB 2563, relating to homelessness, where the Department of the Attorney General offered comments on specific sections and recommended adopting suggested amendments if the bill proceeds. Additional testimony on SB 2563 began with support from several individuals, including Shelby Pikachu, who emphasized the severity of homelessness and related social problems in the community.

Transcript Highlights:

• I vote Republican for many reasons. However, I'm a true conservative.
• Because he explained that having scientific integrity will help ensure the United States continues to
• <00:15:58.399> will that having scientific in integrity will that having scientific in integrity
• And I just want to say please vote no on this bill for Alamians and protect them, or at least amend it
• I voted Republican my whole life. Wasn't aware. >> I'd like to talk to you." sneak

Bills: SB71, SB71

Keywords: environmental regulation, federal standards, scientific evidence, water quality, administrative law, income tax, tax exemption, Alabama tax code, Section 40-18-3, civilian employees, Department of Defense, DoD, Armed Forces, military pay, combat zone, deployment, National Guard, Reserve components, emergency response, federal employees

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask that you vote favorably for...
• Importantly, it also integrates local caregiver resources and protocols for engaging caregivers, giving
• We respectfully ask that you vote out House Bill 769 and Senate Bill 468 favorably.
• I think we heard some of that testimony earlier, integrating acute and long-term care needs together.
• I think we heard some of that testimony earlier, integrating acute and long-term care supports.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Aging and Independence/Elder Affairs Committee heard testimony on several bills, with the main focus on H.769/S.468, an act to improve care and prepare for the new era of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Legislators and advocates described the bill’s provisions, including expanded dementia training for first responders, a dementia services coordinator/director in state government, improved hospital discharge and caregiver access protections, dementia care coordination benefits for certain MassHealth members, public awareness and data collection requirements, and expanded support for geriatric workforce recruitment. Representative Danielle Gregoire and Senator Gomez framed the measure as a zero-cost, bipartisan continuation of the 2018 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Act, while the Alzheimer’s Association, Boston Public Health Commission, police representatives, clinicians, and family caregivers all testified in support, emphasizing public health needs, early diagnosis, caregiver involvement, and safer emergency and hospital care. The committee also heard testimony on H.796/S.476, which would establish an Office of Older Adult Advocate and a special commission on a statewide long-term services and supports benefit program. Representative Steve Ultrino supported an independent older adult advocate to help navigate fragmented state services and improve constituent services, while committee members asked about funding and the office’s relationship to existing secretariats. On the long-term care commission bill, NAFA Massachusetts and LeadingAge Massachusetts supported creating a stakeholder commission to review actuarial findings and explore public-private financing options for long-term care, stressing that neither public nor private coverage alone is sufficient and that middle-income families need more planning tools and options. The committee also took testimony on H.786/S.466, a bill to protect vulnerable elders by expanding the Executive Office of Elder Affairs’ authority to investigate abuse or neglect in non-traditional custodial settings such as prisons, jails, shelters, group homes, and certain treatment facilities. Prisoners Legal Services said the bill would close a jurisdictional gap that leaves some older adults without an investigative agency once they age out of DPPC coverage. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• enormous power to systematically censor, de-boost, and throttle conservative ideas and speech, integrating
• And by the way, if you see us moving in and out and coming back and forth, we have to vote and that is
• We've got to vote and then we'll get back here. Thank you. Ms. Hemingway.
• So the government will work in partnership with NGOs on something like the Election Integrity Partnership
• And while some of these entities like the Election Integrity Partnership that you helped expose may have

Keywords: censorship, First Amendment, social media, misinformation, free speech, government regulation, Big Tech, public discourse

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on the implications of government involvement in censorship, particularly regarding social media platforms and compliance with misinformation standards. senators and witnesses discussed growing concerns over the influence of large tech companies, like Facebook and Google, in shaping public discourse and suppressing dissenting views. A significant part of the meeting included testimonies from various experts emphasizing the dangers of the 'censorship industrial complex'—a term used to describe the collaborative efforts between government entities and private organizations to control information flow. This collaboration is viewed as a violation of First Amendment rights, with calls for urgent legislative action to restore free speech protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• The joint convention will be attentive to a report from the Joint Committee on vote counts for governor
• The vote is correct.
• may she realize that she is integrity may she realize that she is never<00:39:54.480> really
• May they fulfill their solemn oaths with integrity in a steadfast pursuit of the common good.
• May they fulfill their solemn oaths with integrity in a steadfast pursuit of the common good.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> This is a roll call vote for Senate File >> This is a roll call vote for Senate File 58
• <00:47:44.960> The defined integration requirement. The defined integration requirement.
• <00:54:25.040> on to explain while I'll be in no vote on to explain while I'll be in no vote
• This was a roll call vote for Senate File 107. Representative Banks voted no.
• The vote was eight ayes and one no.

Bills: SF0058, SF0061, SF0095, SF0107

Keywords: Indian child welfare, tribal relations, sunset repeal, Wyoming law, child custody, sales tax, motor vehicle, family transfer, tax exemption, Wyoming legislation, driver's license, motor vehicle services, third-party providers, Wyoming, regulatory compliance, registration, license plate, electronic system, State Department of Transportation, county treasurers

Bills: SJR18, SCR9, SCR13, SB10, SB14, SB19, SB263, SB412, SB441, SB523, SB569, SB687, SB688, SB707, SB766, SB914, SB971, SB1006, SB1066, SJR36, SJR18, SCR9, SCR13, SCR25, SB565, SB372, SB495, SB842, SB971, SB1066, SB765, SB523, SB62, SB19, SB18, SB666, SB688, SB707, SB888, SB687, SB706, SB847, SB290, SB766, SB11, SB10, SB13, SB263, SB412, SB441, SB569, SB914, SB1248, SB740, SB14, SB1006, SB504, SB917, SB925, SB388, SB1902, SB1121, SB995, SB857, SB305, SB296, SB284, SB35, SB6, SB815, SB3, SB1281, SB1379, SB1300, SB1497, SB1499, SB1498, SB1451, SB263, SB523, SB569, SB688, SB766, SB914, SB971, SB1066, SR215, SR245, SR247, SR258, SCR9, SJR56, SJR63, SJR64, SJR69, SJR70, SJR71, SCR30, SCR31, SCR32, SCR33, SB1701, SB1702, SB1703, SB1704, SB1705, SB1706, SB1707, SB1708, SB1709, SB1710, SB1711, SB1712, SB1713, SB1714, SB1715, SB1716, SB1717, SB1718, SB1719, SB1720, SB1721, SB1722, SB1723, SB1724, SB1725, SB1726, SB1727, SB1728, SB1729, SB1730, SB1731, SB1732, SB1733, SB1734, SB1735, SB1736, SB1737, SB1738, SB1739, SB1740, SB1741, SB1742, SB1743, SB1744, SB1745, SB1746, SB1747, SB1748, SB1749, SB1750, SB1751, SB1752, SB1753, SB1754, SB1755, SB1756, SB1757, SB1758, SB1759, SB1760, SB1761, SB1762, SB1763, SB1764, SB1765, SB1766, SB1767, SB1768, SB1769, SB1770, SB1771, SB1772, SB1773, SB1774, SB1775, SB1776, SB1777, SB1778, SB1779, SB1781, SB1782, SB1783, SB1784, SB1785, SB1786, SB1787, SB1788, SB1789, SB1790, SB1791, SB1792, SB1793, SB1794, SB1795, SB1796, SB1797, SB1798, SB1799, SB1800, SB1801, SB1802, SB1803, SB1804, SB1805, SB1806, SB1807, SB1808, SB1809, SB1810, SB1811, SB1812, SB1813, SB1814, SB1815, SB1816, SB1817, SB1818, SB1819, SB1820, SB1821, SB1822, SB1823, SB1824, SB1825, SB1826, SB1827, SB1828, SB1829, SB1830, SB1831, SB1832, SB1833, SB1834, SB1835, SB1836, SB1837, SB1838, SB1839, SB1840, SB1841, SB1842, SB1843, SB1844, SB1845, SB1846, SB1847, SB1848, SB1849, SB1850, SB2188, SB2230, SB2312, SB2345, SJR56, SJR63, SJR64, SJR69, SJR70, SJR71, SCR30, SCR31, SCR32, SCR33, SB1701, SB1702, SB1703, SB1704, SB1705, SB1706, SB1707, SB1708, SB1709, SB1710, SB1711, SB1712, SB1713, SB1714, SB1715, SB1716, SB1717, SB1718, SB1719, SB1720, SB1721, SB1722, SB1723, SB1724, SB1725, SB1726, SB1727, SB1728, SB1729, SB1730, SB1731, SB1732, SB1733, SB1734, SB1735, SB1736, SB1737, SB1738, SB1739, SB1740, SB1741, SB1742, SB1743, SB1744, SB1745, SB1746, SB1747, SB1748, SB1749, SB1750, SB1751, SB1752, SB1753, SB1754, SB1755, SB1756, SB1757, SB1758, SB1759, SB1760, SB1761, SB1762, SB1763, SB1764, SB1765, SB1766, SB1767, SB1768, SB1769, SB1770, SB1771, SB1772, SB1773, SB1774, SB1775, SB1776, SB1777, SB1778, SB1779, SB1781, SB1782, SB1783, SB1784, SB1785, SB1786, SB1787, SB1788, SB1789, SB1790, SB1791, SB1792, SB1793, SB1794, SB1795, SB1796, SB1797, SB1798, SB1799, SB1800, SB1801, SB1802, SB1803, SB1804, SB1805, SB1806, SB1807, SB1808, SB1809, SB1810, SB1811, SB1812, SB1813, SB1814, SB1815, SB1816, SB1817, SB1818, SB1819, SB1820, SB1821, SB1822, SB1823, SB1824, SB1825, SB1826, SB1827, SB1828, SB1829, SB1830, SB1831, SB1832, SB1833, SB1834, SB1835, SB1836, SB1837, SB1838, SB1839, SB1840, SB1841, SB1842, SB1843, SB1844, SB1845, SB1846, SB1847, SB1848, SB1849, SB1850, SB2188, SB2230, SB2312, SB2345

Keywords: capital gains, taxation, constitutional amendment, state revenue, individual investment, Supreme Court, judicial independence, Keep Nine, checks and balances, water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, education, Ten Commandments, public schools, religious display

Transcript Highlights:

• So we really wanted to just focus with this one on program integrity.
• And also, as a department, we have an integrated eligibility system.
• I urge this committee to vote ITL. Thank you, Lisa. Other questions from the committee?
• <01:36:27.840> which eight hours and then integration which eight hours and then integration
• treatment will be delivered integration treatment will be delivered integration and<01:36:52.080

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um but tried to start with integrity.
• TCO voted to support SB 468.
• TCMOB did vote 7 to 0 to support SB 468, with one abstention.
• TCMOB did vote 7 to 0 to support SB 468, with one abstention.
• reasons we asked the committee to vote reasons we asked the committee to vote um<01:30:30.800>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the sheriffs are an integral part of the communities they serve, best equipped and most familiar with
• So when you say that you have a woman ready to integrate into society, right?
• It also includes 11 non-voting members who represent stakeholders in the conversation.”
• Seeing nobody jumping in with a comment or thought, take a vote on that motion to adjourn.
• Seeing nobody jumping in with a comment or a thought, make a vote on that motion to adjourn.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to continue its review of the county sheriffs’ role in corrections, reentry, and public safety. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the sheriffs completed a lengthy presentation describing how their offices provide regional jail services, women’s programming, mental health and substance use treatment, reentry support, community partnerships, and auxiliary public safety functions such as BCI work, TRIAD, Meals on Wheels, and event support. They emphasized that services are tailored to local needs, that women’s facilities are designed to keep mothers close to family and support reunification, and that programming, housing, and job placement are central to reducing recidivism. They also discussed challenges including K2/synthetic drugs in facilities, gang classification and separation, and the difficulty justice-involved people face obtaining IDs and birth certificates, especially for people from Puerto Rico. Commission members generally praised the sheriffs’ work and asked for more detail on how regional women’s facilities operate, how community-provider cuts might affect reentry services, how no-cost phone/tablet communication is balanced against programming time, and what the most essential programs are if funding is reduced. The sheriffs said programming must come first, identified mental health, substance use treatment, domestic violence programming, and housing/job placement as critical, and explained that community organizations and the Registry of Motor Vehicles are key partners in reentry. They also described their approach to gang management through classification, separation, and information sharing, and noted that the Registry has become more flexible but Real ID requirements have made documentation barriers more significant. The commission chair stressed that the purpose of the study is collaboration and improving system performance, not an adversarial effort against the sheriffs or a decarceration debate. Members noted that future meetings would hear from probation in June and the Department of Correction in July, and that the commission would continue gathering information before deciding on next steps. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• Six aye, zero no, one not voting. By your vote... Aye. Six aye, zero no, one not voting.
• Six aye, zero no, one not voting. By your vote of six.
• By your vote of six ayes, zero noes, and one not voting, you have given...
• You've given by a vote of six ayes, zero noes, one not voting, you have given.
• So with that, I vote aye. Senator Warren. Aye. Aye. I vote aye. By your vote, aye.

Bills: SB1001, SB1011, SB1016, SB1052, SB1072, SB1100, SB1112, SB1113, SB1116, SB1118, SB1120, SB1121, SB1122, SB1123, SB1124, SB1125

Keywords: appropriation, economic security, blind individuals, older adults, state funding, medical examiners, sudden infant death, autopsy protocols, forensic pathology, public health, religious exemption, employment practices, COVID-19 vaccination, accommodation, discrimination, assisted living, health care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, physician orders, informed consent

Summary: The committee began with member and staff introductions, then took up a series of health and human services bills. The first group focused on radiation protection in cardiac catheterization and other ionizing-radiation procedure rooms: SB 1120 would require at least half of procedure rooms in covered facilities to have a radiation protection system by July 1, 2027; SB 1118 would create a state grant program for rural hospitals to help pay for those systems; and SB 1121 would prohibit requiring lead aprons in rooms equipped with such systems, while allowing voluntary use with a real-time dosimeter. Physicians, nurses, and a hospital CEO testified that long-term radiation exposure and heavy lead aprons have caused cancer, cataracts, and orthopedic injuries, and that commercially available systems can reduce exposure to near zero. Some members raised questions about cost, vendor involvement, FDA clearance, and whether the bills should be discussed with stakeholders; the Health Systems Alliance of Arizona said it was neutral and wanted further stakeholder meetings. All three bills were adopted by 7-0 votes, with SB 1120 and SB 1121 amended. The committee then heard SB 1001, which would appropriate $1 million to the Department of Economic Security for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind program. Blind and low-vision speakers described long waitlists, the need for independent living training, and how services help seniors remain at home rather than enter more costly care. The bill passed 6-0 with one member not voting. Next, SB 1072 proposed ongoing General Fund and Medicaid spending to raise reimbursement rates for home- and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus room-and-board funding and a workforce survey/reporting requirement. Providers testified that the system is underfunded, staff turnover is high, overtime is extensive, and many people wait for services; the bill passed 6-0 with one not voting. The committee also approved SB 1125, requiring the Department of Child Safety to annually seek MOUs with tribes and improve tribal access to information about placements and enforcement actions involving licensed group homes, after members asked about the stakeholder process and tribal participation. SB 1123, which removes the requirement that a supervising forensic pathologist be board-certified before delegating autopsy-related tasks to trainees, passed after Maricopa County said the change would help address training delays and workforce shortages. SB 1052, allowing mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy in assisted living facilities under specified safeguards, drew support from the sponsor and an assisted-living operator but also opposition from a member concerned about off-label treatment in nonmedical settings; it passed 5-2. Finally, SB 1112, reducing the number of acquaintance witnesses required in court-ordered treatment proceedings from two to one and allowing a judge to waive the witness requirement in some cases, passed 5-2 after testimony from supporters who said the current rule often blocks treatment for seriously mentally ill people and from opponents who argued it weakens due process. The committee then began SB 1113, which would allow service of court-ordered evaluation and treatment documents by evaluation-agency employees or other court-authorized persons, but the transcript cuts off before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• voting.
• voting.
• voting.
• voting.
• voting.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She said he asked her to bring the two systems together and integrate them.
• So we'll put that to a vote as well when we get to that.
• then we could have a vote.
• Well, it's already been voted on. Has it been reported? Well, it hasn't been voted on, right?
• I guess we should probably vote on the motion to adopt with the second to adopt, right?

Summary: The Louisiana Public Defender Oversight Board met on June 18, 2026, established a quorum, and adopted the agenda. Public comment took up most of the meeting, with numerous district defenders and chief defenders speaking in support of State Public Defender Remy Starns. Speakers from several districts said the system is more unified, communication with the state office has improved, and local offices feel better supported than in the past. Several also credited Starns with visiting districts, helping with local issues, and improving coordination on capital and non-capital work. One speaker, Richard Thompson, emphasized Starns’ background and training under Sam Dalton, and another noted that a recent staffing decision in St. John the Baptist Parish ultimately proved beneficial for mentorship and resource sharing. Starns then gave his state public defender report. He said the system has improved over the last seven years and argued that public defense still needs a stable, renewable funding source comparable to other parts of the criminal justice system. He discussed legislative changes affecting public defense, including a cleanup bill, a law eliminating filing fees for writs and appeals, and a new procedure related to expert-fee claims after a recent Louisiana Supreme Court decision. He also described ongoing efforts to integrate capital and post-conviction work into district offices, expand the laws/writs program, and use local and state resources more efficiently. He thanked the board, the Public Defenders Association, and the late Mike Ginnart, whom he praised for his leadership and service. The board then considered and adopted proposed bylaws. Members discussed the need for a vice chair and a secretary, the role of special committees, and whether committee meetings should be public and limited to less than a quorum. The bylaws were adopted with the understanding that a committee would review and refine them later; volunteers were named for that committee. The board then elected a vice chair and designated the Office of the Public Defender, with staff assistance, as secretary for recordkeeping. Finally, the board heard a presentation on the strategic plan, which was described as largely unchanged from FY25 except for updates to reflect current law, accessibility requirements, training, compliance, and communication goals. The strategic plan was adopted by resolution, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair votes I. Chair votes I.
• vice chair for the vote chair votes I. vice chair for the vote chair votes I.
• <01:10:42.880> Senator votes I. Vice Chair votes I. Senator votes I. Vice Chair votes I.
• or votes or present, any no votes or votes or reservations?
• vice chair for the vote chair votes I. vice chair for the vote chair votes I.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees met on March 19, 2025, to hear HB 966 HD2, which would create statewide standards for agricultural tourism in counties that adopt ag-tourism ordinances. The bill would require registration with county planning departments, require ag-tourism to remain tied to an active farming operation, and end the activity when the agricultural use stops except in limited circumstances. Testimony from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Kualoa Ranch, and the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council was generally supportive of the bill’s intent, with several witnesses emphasizing that agritourism can help farm viability, food security, and public education about agriculture. The Hawaii Farm Bureau and several other testifiers supported agritourism but urged strong guardrails, minimal statewide standards, and deference to county home rule. They said agriculture should remain the primary activity, warned against adding burdens to farmers and ranchers, and suggested better enforcement and agricultural expertise within county planning departments. Phil Weber and others argued for objective standards, such as minimum revenue or work-performed thresholds, annual reporting, and clearer compliance tools, and cautioned that the bill’s termination exemption could be too broad if not tightened. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on whether the bill should apply to Department of Agriculture lands, especially ag park lands, and to DLNR lands. Department of Agriculture staff explained that ag park lands currently do not allow agritourism, while non-ag park lands under Act 90 allow limited related activity tied to farm production, with revenue limits and other conditions. Members and witnesses debated how to define and measure agritourism, how to enforce county rules, and whether to exempt ag park parcels or otherwise clarify that existing DOA rules would control. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing, and the chair requested follow-up language from DOA to address possible exemptions and clarify the bill’s application.

Transcript Highlights:

• May it bear fruit that honors your creation and serves all people with integrity and mercy.
• MAY IT BEAR FRUIT THAT HONORS YOUR CREATION AND SERVES ALL PEOPLE WITH INTEGRITY AND MERCY, AMEN.
• It is about governing with integrity, walking with humility, and remaining accountable to the people
• strengthening the health care system that puts patients first, and we'll stand firm in defense of voting
• FIRM IN DEFENSE OF VOTING RIGHTS AND EQUAL RIGHTS, WITH ONE OF OUR CENTRAL FOCUSES BEING STANDING UP

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and briefly closed out the 2025 legislative session by adopting a concurrent resolution on adjournment. The chamber then reopened for the 2026 session with a quorum present, a prayer by Bishop Mark O’Connell, and opening remarks from the Lieutenant Governor, Minority Leader Rob Ortt, and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The remarks focused on the responsibilities of the new session, the need to listen to constituents, and broad priorities such as affordability, public safety, rights protections, and working across party lines. Governor Kathy Hochul’s message requesting the Senate’s presence for the 2026 State of the State address was read and filed. In their remarks, Ortt emphasized affordability, keeping more money in New Yorkers’ pockets, energy choices, and public safety, while Stewart-Cousins highlighted rising costs for housing, groceries, utilities, health care, and child care, along with defending voting rights, equal rights, and immigrant communities. Both leaders said their conferences were prepared to work with each other and with the Governor. The Senate then adopted two organizational resolutions: one appointing Senators Bynoe and Chan to inform the Governor that the Senate was organized and ready to proceed, and another appointing Senators Ryan and Wildcat to inform the Assembly that the Senate was assembled and ready to proceed. No substantive legislation was debated, and the Senate adjourned until Monday, January 12, at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days designated as legislative days.