Transcript Highlights:

• San Antonio has been presented with an exceptional, unique, and special opportunity to have electric
• San Antonio is being afforded a real exceptional opportunity to have electric horse-drawn carriages,
• The bill provides for exceptions to this limit in cases where voters approve going over the spending
• It used to be that Austin Energy would... ...fund everything except fire, police, and EMS.

Bills: HB386, HB1449, HB1701, HB2142, HB2675, HB2857, HB3063, HB3171, HB3641, HB3732, HB4045, HB4370, HB4491, HB4505, HB4626, HB5267, HB5356

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• has been through every single committee in both the House and the Senate multiple times, with the exception
• the Senate now three times, and in the House it has now made all of its committee stops, with the exception
• By resolution, from each city or town in which the project is located, except consent need not be obtained
• Thankfully, most schools in Minnesota don't use legacy admissions, with the exception of one university

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, the committee has heard all of those provisions with the exception of the Senate provisions.
• with<00:02:53.360> the all of those provisions with the all of those provisions with the exception
• exception of the Senate provisions. exception of the Senate provisions.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• services, which used to be contracted out, significantly back in-house, with some very limited exceptions
• We also... ...significantly back in-house, with some very limited exceptions.
• Some exceptions to that, you know, we have a number of 80- to 100-foot...
• Some exceptions to that, you know, we have a number of 80- to 100-foot trees on our campus that, from

Summary: The committee heard several labor and employment measures. AB 465 would require local public employers, at a union’s request, to negotiate minimum disciplinary and grievance procedures in MOUs, including progressive discipline, just-cause protections, grievance appeal rights, and paid release time for representatives. Supporters, including AFSCME and SEIU, said it would create fairer and more consistent due process protections for local government workers; opponents from county and city groups argued it would impose binding arbitration and rigid discipline rules that could undermine local flexibility and accountability. The bill passed on a 5-0 vote and was re-referred to Appropriations. AB 792 would allow court interpreter bargaining to be consolidated when multiple regions are negotiating at the same time. The author and the California Federation of Interpreters said the change would reduce repeated bargaining, improve efficiency, and help address interpreter recruitment and retention. There was no opposition, but some members questioned whether the proposal would really solve wage and staffing problems; the bill passed 5-0 and was placed on hold. AB 1309, which would improve Cal Fire firefighter compensation by tying salaries more closely to comparable local fire departments, drew strong support from firefighters and no opposition. Members praised Cal Fire’s work and the bill passed 7-0 and was held for add-ons. The committee also approved AJR 8, a resolution urging protection of Social Security and opposing federal cuts or office closures. Supporters said Social Security is essential to seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and children, and warned that reductions would increase poverty and homelessness. One member objected to naming political figures in the resolution, but the measure still passed 7-0 and was held. AB 1247, which would require contracted-out school classified workers to meet the same training and qualification standards as direct hires and address related retirement contributions, passed 5-2 despite opposition from county superintendents and school administrators who said it would add costs and limit contracting flexibility. Finally, AB 288, which would authorize PERB to act when the NLRB fails to remedy labor claims by a deadline, passed 6-0 with strong union support and no opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• . 95% of the revenue to pay off these bonds, and so far all the money has been paid for the bonds except
• It doesn't really do anything except just give us a little bit bigger voice in how we move forward.
• The GRT tax was never supposed to be used for anything except paying for the bonds.
• our investigators, the workers we talked to, and the businesses we talked to all across the state, except

Transcript Highlights:

• , that said that we're better off in terms of the violent crime rate than our surrounding states, except
• our of the violent crime rate um than our surrounding<00:09:08.079> states<00:09:08.440> except
• <00:09:08.680> for<00:09:08.839> North surrounding states except for North surrounding
• states except for North Dakota<00:09:09.480> is<00:09:09.600> slightly<00:09:09.959>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe in freedom, fairness, and equality for everyone, no exceptions.
• We believe in freedom, fairness, and equality for everyone, no exceptions.
• We believe in freedom, fairness, and equality for everyone, no exceptions.
• Freedom, fairness, and equality for everyone, no exceptions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I heard somebody describe it as everything about the federal budget: the chaos is uncertain, except for
• is the federal budget the chaos is the federal budget the chaos is uncertain<00:20:21.360> except
• the<00:20:21.880> fact<00:20:22.120> they<00:20:22.240> don't uncertain except
• for the fact they don't uncertain except for the fact they don't want<00:20:22.480> any<00:20

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• statewide safety standards or best practices right now for technologies that goes inside the paratransit except
• That goes inside the paratransit except the fact that they have to meet the ADA requirements.
• The exception to that is obviously commuter rail.
• That was a 100% private investment, and it is fully funded privately, with the exception of some of the

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met, took roll, and heard introductory remarks from members about their districts and transportation priorities, with several senators noting congestion and mobility challenges in their regions. The committee then received a presentation from the Florida Transportation Commission on its oversight role for FDOT, including annual and quarterly performance reviews, review of the five-year work program, and monitoring of tolling and transit authorities. Members asked whether the commission gets involved in project prioritization; the answer was no, because it is statutorily limited to high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project decisions. The committee next heard two reports related to transportation disadvantaged and paratransit services. FDOT’s Melissa Smith described the statewide Transportation Disadvantaged program, its governance structure, service models, and challenges such as fragmented administration, cost, inconsistent reporting, and rural service limitations. She outlined recommendations including better use of technology, regional partnerships, improved training, and alternative delivery models like microtransit and TNC partnerships. A University of South Florida researcher, Martin Katala, discussed best practices for paratransit and demand-response service, emphasizing route optimization software, dynamic dispatching, service standards, vendor accountability, and the use of TNCs and mobility management to improve efficiency and reduce travel times. A later presentation from UF’s I-Street program focused on emerging technologies for transit, including in-cabin monitoring, automatic restraints, accessible booking and tracking tools, and the need for statewide safety standards and better driver interfaces. Finally, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and District 5 Secretary John Tyler provided an update on the transition of SunRail local entities. They explained the differences among commuter rail, intercity rail, and light rail, and said SunRail’s financial transition to local partners was completed on January 1, with operational transition to follow over up to three years. They contrasted that with Tri-Rail, where FDOT still funds operations and discussions about a future transition are ongoing. Members asked about the differences between SunRail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and Brightline, and the presenters explained that commuter rail serves regional daily commuters while intercity rail connects regions. The committee concluded without taking any formal votes or other legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think that needs to be in the exception, but those would be my only two recommendations.
• to<00:13:20.080> be<00:13:20.560> in<00:13:20.800> the<00:13:21.080> exception
• ,<00:13:21.960> but<00:13:22.080> those needs to be in the exception, but those needs
• to be in the exception, but those would<00:13:22.360> be<00:13:22.480> my<00:13:22.680
• Well, I think that none of us can have anything except horror at that kind of an outcome.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• states prohibit gambling as a general rule while carving out explicit statutory or constitutional exceptions
• <00:11:24.480> for<00:11:24.640> authorized constitutional exceptions for authorized
• constitutional exceptions for authorized activities, activities, activities, which<00:11:26.800>
• result was some kind of erroneous answer that said, 'Yes, Bovada is legal in 45 out of 50 states except
• result was some kind of erroneous answer that said, 'Yes, Bovada is legal in 45 out of 50 states except

Bills: SCR145, SCR132, SCR31, SCR110

Keywords: traffic violations, demerit point system, driver license points, traffic safety, hit and run, reckless driving, repeat offenders, recidivism, Department of Transportation, DOT, task force, traffic enforcement, road safety, vehicle code, license suspension, county police, Hawaii transportation, SCR132, Senate Concurrent Resolution, Makakilo Drive Extension

Transcript Highlights:

• Except for adding, changing the dates, and adding the items that I explained.
• <00:30:56.399> except from the original bill, right?
• except from the original bill, right?
• except for<00:30:56.960> adding<00:30:57.679> changing<00:30:58.000> the<00:30:58.240
• when the school district one exception when the school district is<00:43:54.400> really<00:43

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I don't, the only exception on his amendments that I won't take are the detailed amendment under
• But I would like to adopt Peter Fritz's amendments except for paragraph J two subsections A through I
• But I don't, the only exception on his amendments that I won't take are the detailed amendment under
• I don't the only exception on his I don't the only exception on his amendments<01:21:54.920> that<
• <01:22:23.280> for except for except for paragraph<01:22:24.840> J<01:22:25.760> two

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of resolutions and a few bills, with testimony largely in support across the agenda. Early measures included HCR 15/HR 17 supporting Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy, and HCR 22/HR 22 urging Congress to pass federal kidney disease legislation; both drew support and no opposition. The committee also heard HCR 146 HD1/HR 138 HD1 on “excited delirium,” with testimony from advocates urging the resolutions be broadened to include related terms such as hyperactive delirium and agitated delirium, and from family members and disability-rights advocates describing the issue as harmful pseudoscience tied to police-custody deaths and calling for a ban on the term and better mental-health responses. The committee then took up HCR 123/HR 115 on creating a coordinated support and stabilization task force for Native Hawaiians experiencing homelessness or extreme low income. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands testified in support, describing its transitional housing work and saying collaboration and data-sharing with the state homelessness office would help beneficiaries and others; members questioned whether existing entities already do similar work and whether the proposal would extend beyond beneficiaries. HCR 32/HR 32, which asks the governor’s senior advisor on mental health and the justice system to develop a plan to increase access to Hawaii State Hospital for certain criminal defendants, drew support from the Department of Health, the governor’s office, and disability-rights advocates, who emphasized coordinated planning, diversion from arrest when appropriate, and matching people to the right level of care. Additional resolutions addressed a range of policy issues: renaming Leeward Community College to Puloulou Community College (with no testimony), creating an ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi pathway under the Niʻihau dialect at UH (UH noted existing courses already cover the dialect but not a degree pathway), moving to a demerit-point driver licensing system (support only), and coordinating transportation infrastructure planning for Hawaiian home lands (DHHL supported the measure and said an expired DOT memorandum of understanding had covered related collaboration). The committee also heard support for expanding DHHL financial literacy and homeownership-preparedness programs, a resolution asking the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to examine algorithmic discrimination, and a resolution urging the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Advisory Committee to follow its rules, comply with the Sunshine Law, review its executive director, and strengthen accountability; the last measure drew 11 written supports and no opposition. No final votes or decisions were taken in the portion provided, as the hearing focused on testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill<00:04:17.359> 346<00:04:18.320> by We also pride ourselves on providing exceptional
• proactively educate students, interns, registrants, building officials, and others, and provide exceptional
• <00:07:59.680> customer others and provide exceptional customer others and provide exceptional
• We are not making a request for any additional funding this year except for compensation for the staff
• 41.279> year for um any additional funding this year for um any additional funding this year except

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• The frequent utilizers, we've discharged all of them except for one.
• Because it doesn't look like post-booking is one of your solutions, except for maybe the providing education
• 56.000> one<01:20:56.159> of<01:20:56.320> your<01:20:56.480> solutions except
• maybe<01:21:01.120> the<01:21:01.440> providing<01:21:02.000> education except
• for maybe the providing education except for maybe the providing education and<01:21:03.679> increasing

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The briefing focused on the Hawaii State Hospital’s overcrowding, construction defects in the new addition, and how Act 26 and related court-ordered processes are affecting admissions and discharges. The chair said the hospital has become increasingly forensic-focused, has lost beds after the closure of Kahimohala, and may face further costs and possible litigation over the defective addition. Hospital and Department of Health officials said they are working with the attorney general and contractors on repairs, and that the hospital is currently using all 292 licensed beds, including 13 waiver beds, while average daily census last fiscal year was 376. Officials explained that the high census is driven by both increased admissions and discharge barriers. They said the loss of Kahimohala returned patients to the state hospital, and that Act 26-related petty misdemeanor cases are contributing to admissions. They also said limited lower-level placement options delay discharges. Hospital staff reported that many patients are repeat admissions, about 22% were unhoused before admission, and a significant share are in categories such as fitness-to-proceed evaluations and conditional-release violations. They said these groups could potentially be reduced if evaluations were done elsewhere and if more community or supportive housing were available. The chair and senators questioned whether some fitness-to-proceed detainees need to be held at the state hospital at all, and whether the Clark consent order requires transfer to the hospital. The attorney general’s office said the Clark injunction does not govern unfitness-to-proceed cases; instead, the requirement comes from state statute, and the statute could be changed. Director Johnson said DCR cannot keep such detainees because the court orders them into the custody of the Department of Health, and the department cannot provide the needed therapeutic level of care in a correctional setting. The discussion also emphasized co-occurring substance use and mental illness, especially among petty misdemeanor defendants, and the need for supportive housing and a decompression plan to reduce readmissions and free beds for civil commitments.

Transcript Highlights:

• I met except for the Board of Psychology, who did not meet between when I received the letter and the
• I met except for the Board of Psychology, who did not meet between when I received the letter and the
• I met except for the Board of Psychology, who did not meet between when I received the letter and the
• I met except for the Board of Psychology, who did not meet between when I received the letter and the
• I don't think we can act, with the exception of police standards training.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on the Legislative Budget Assistant audit of the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification’s response to 12 findings, especially those tied to mental health workforce licensure. The executive director said 10 findings were substantially resolved, one fully resolved, and one partially resolved, with most issues tied to ongoing rulemaking. He explained that the office regulates 61 professions, has limited rules-drafting staff, and is working through a long rulemaking process while also adapting to frequent statutory changes. The committee discussed the first finding on license portability/endorsement, which the director said was the office’s highest priority and had been implemented through universal recognition rules adopted in 2023. Members asked detailed questions about how the office reviews other states’ licensing standards, whether it evaluates jurisdictions case-by-case or maintains a database, and how many jurisdictions qualify for endorsement in various professions. The director said the office initially reviewed all states and professions at once, now maintains and updates a list of substantially similar jurisdictions, and sometimes evaluates narrower jurisdictions such as counties, cities, or foreign countries. He noted that some professions, like nursing, have broad reciprocity, while others, including some mental health-related fields, vary widely and may have only a limited number of qualifying jurisdictions. He also said the office is exploring whether AI could help with research and tracking, though not with final verification. The committee then turned to expedited licensure processing. The director said the office now handles examination, review, and issuance or denial based on board-set criteria, rather than requiring every board to review every application, which has sped up processing. He said delays still occur with criminal background checks and FBI fingerprint processing because of paper forms, federal involvement, and back-and-forth with the Department of Safety when releases are incomplete or incorrect. Members raised concerns about broader state process bottlenecks and asked whether legislation could help streamline the system. A legislator said he was already working on related background-check language for another agency and believed the current draft may satisfy FBI requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• with SB 40, relating to invasive species, prohibiting the importation of firewood into the state except
• There is an exception to that preemption issue for regulations that are equal to and do not exceed the
• to that preemption issue for exception to that preemption issue for regulations<01:19:06.159> that
• to invasive species on the firewood issue, prohibiting the importation of firewood into the state except
• importation firewood in the state except importation firewood in the state except for<01:22:55.920

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered SB 1023, which would create a spay-neuter special fund to reduce pet overpopulation and free-roaming cats, with funding sources including an income tax checkoff. The Department of Taxation had no substantive comment, while the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supported the measure but opposed any trap-neuter-release or re-release approach, saying spay-neuter is important but release does not reduce cats on the landscape. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised concerns about creating another special fund and tax checkoff, saying the fund may not meet statutory criteria and could create administrative burdens. The Hawaiian Humane Society strongly supported the bill, arguing the state currently provides little funding for animal overpopulation control and that the measure would help nonprofits and align conservation and animal welfare goals. Several other supporters testified, including a cat sanctuary representative who described the need for a dedicated funding mechanism and a possible Oahu sanctuary to remove cats from sensitive areas. After questions about the effectiveness of trap-neuter-release and the need for alternative management tools, the committees voted to recommend passage with amendments, including blanking appropriation amounts, moving them into the committee report, setting the effective date to July 1, 2050, and noting Budget and Finance concerns; the recommendations were adopted in both committees, with some members voting with reservations. The hearing then moved to SB 1120, relating to transportation and a clean fuel standard. The Department of Transportation said it supported the intent but wanted more information on economic impacts. Electrify America and Neste supported the bill, saying a clean fuel standard would help finance EV charging, encourage investment, and expand lower-carbon fuel options such as renewable diesel. In response to questions from senators about rural and agricultural transportation needs, witnesses said the standard could support both electrification where feasible and cleaner liquid fuels in the interim for equipment that cannot yet be electrified. DOT also described county transit efforts and said it was working with Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island on assessments for zero-emission bus replacement and charging infrastructure. The committees also heard testimony on SB 586, relating to climate change and zero-emission buses by 2045, with the State Procurement Office supporting the intent but suggesting the language be moved to a different statute; DOT said it was providing pass-through funding to counties and had some zero-emission bus purchases and charging stations on order. The discussion emphasized infrastructure costs and implementation challenges, but no final vote on SB 1120 or SB 586 was described in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every single project on this list except for one has what we call a reimbursement agreement, which is
• justification so um hoping that that will make a dent in this list uh every single project on this list except

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works met to receive public testimony and act on port priority applications for inclusion in the FY 2027-2028 Port Priority Construction and Development Priority Program. After approving the March 9, 2026 minutes, the committee heard from Commissioner Andrew Kilshaw of the Office of Multimodal Commerce on two applications from the Avoyelles Harbor and Terminal District: a building addition and waterfront industrial improvements project, and a Workforce Training Center redevelopment project. He said both met program criteria and projected substantial state benefits, jobs, and high benefit-cost ratios. Committee members asked about the projected jobs, the unusually high benefit-cost ratio, and the status of other port projects. Kilshaw and DOTD’s Molly Bergoin said the program has a backlog of more than $200 million, but the department is working through it, with some projects nearing closeout. They also said the annual request cap has been increased and that a tiered funding approach is being considered to help projects compete for federal dollars. Members expressed support for expanding investment in ports and for a statewide strategic plan. Chairman Boriak moved to accept the port priority applications received through March 1, 2026, for inclusion in the FY 2027-2028 program. There was no objection, and the committee accepted the projects. The meeting then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've talked about the exceptions, which are not minor, like somebody that's living on a fixed income
• Um, so that's sort of like the exception case.
• Um, so that's sort of like the exception case.
• Um, so but that's sort of like the exception case.
• Yeah, I think that's all valuation, except utilities.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , which I don't think was the intent, and could basically narrow the existing exception.
• which I don't think was the exception which I don't think was the intent<00:53:03.839> and<00
• So uh we suggested existing exception.
• And in our written testimony, we've highlighted in a recent notable exception to that.
• And we like to refer exception to that.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1525, which would appropriate funds to counties to open more voter service centers for in-person voting, provide money to the Office of Elections to print and mail the voter information guide to all registered voters, and support a public outreach campaign to increase voter participation. The Office of Elections supported the bill and estimated costs of a little over $2 million to print and mail the guide and about $178,000 for outreach, noting it spent about $441,000 on election advertising in 2024. Testimony from advocacy groups including Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Common Cause Hawaii, and Indivisible Hawaii strongly supported the measure, emphasizing access for neighbor island voters, people with disabilities, new voters, and voters who need ballot assistance. County election officials from Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai provided comments or testimony that were more cautious. They said additional funding would be welcome, but staffing and logistics remain major constraints, especially for election-day service centers. Honolulu’s city clerk said funding alone would not necessarily solve long lines, while Maui’s county clerk explained that voter service centers require trained seasonal employees, extensive training, and the ability to handle many ballot styles. Maui also described its current pop-up sites, including Hana, as expensive but necessary for remote communities, and said the county is already running at bare minimum staffing. Members asked questions about who decides how many service centers are opened, how staffing is handled, and whether there is a middle-ground model between the old precinct polling places and the current voter service center system. Honolulu explained that county clerks make those decisions under current law and that the county has tried pop-up sites in addition to its main centers. The discussion also noted that in 2024 most voters used vote by mail, while a smaller number used early in-person voting or final-day service centers. No vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.