Transcript Highlights:

• First one of the concerns that was raised is that, by Anthem, this did not specifically prohibit balance
• So unless you want it to require further, I think that covers the prohibition on balance billing because
• I know that that covers the prohibition on balance billing because remember we're working to prohibit
• balance billing but to raise and stabilize reimbursement rates during emergencies and non-emergency
• My first item that I brought up on prohibition of balance billing was just a commentary, a clarification

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment changes references to proposed general fund minimum balance amounts or requirements that
• The amendment changes references to proposed general fund minimum balance amounts or requirements that
• Removing a small part of a section aligns districts that do their minimum fund balance at the end of
• We definitely know that the school district fiscal year is what matters with their fund balance, so I
• that the school district fiscal year is what matters with their fund balance so I would request a yes

Bills: HB1073, HB1128, HB1316, HB1408, HB1591, HB1592, HB1634, HB1906, HB1960, HB2073, HB2145, HB2248, HB2266, HB2301, HB2333, HB2365, HB2401, HB2416, HB2421, HB2438, HB2474, HB2475, HB2515, HB2517, HB2523, HB2548, HB2597, HB2637, HB2640, HB2660, HB2675, HB2685, HB2720, HB1742, HB2104, HB2186, HB2405, HB2557, HB2593, HB2636

Keywords: national guard, military support, defense, state security, veteran services, child care, workforce standards, education, child development, training requirements, postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, community preservation, development authorities, funding, local governance, state resources

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do think that there should be balance.
• But, Senators, balance is not what we have right now.
• But I do think that there should be balance.
• But Senators, balance is not what we have right now.
• I think this amendment balances... Thank you.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions before taking up the special order calendar. The chamber first postponed CS/SB 80 on state land management, then moved through a series of bills, often substituting House companions when identical or nearly identical. Early actions included unanimous passage of HB 295 on a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan, which directs DEP to develop a recycling and waste-diversion roadmap, and passage of CS/CS/SB 492 on land development and mitigation banking after amendments addressing out-of-service credits and former phosphate mine lands; that bill passed 35-3 after debate over possible constitutional concerns. The Senate also passed HB 255 on aggravated animal cruelty, adding a sentencing multiplier and a searchable FDLE database of convicted animal abusers, and HB 711 establishing the Spectrum Alert for missing children with autism, with $190,000 in nonrecurring implementation funds and a July 1, 2026 implementation date. The chamber then approved HB 1089 to add Duchenne muscular dystrophy to newborn screening, and HB 393 revising the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to expand eligible mitigation projects, lower the approval threshold, and clarify ownership and reimbursement issues. Members discussed funding levels and whether insurance premium credits would be required, but the bill passed unanimously. The Senate also passed HB 1145 on workforce education, HB 827 on a statewide study of automation and workforce impact, and HB 181 on parole guidelines, all without recorded opposition. CS/CS/SB 976 on court-appointed psychologists also passed unanimously, as did HB 1451 on sexual cyber harassment, which broadened protections against non-consensual and digitally forged intimate images. Later, the Senate approved HB 1156 creating the Home Health Aid for Medically Fragile Children Program, after clarifying training requirements and hearing support that the measure would help families keep medically fragile children at home while compensating trained parents. The chamber also passed HB 1091 on substance abuse and mental health care, with an amendment allowing designated facilities to retain stabilized patients who still meet involuntary examination criteria. Throughout the day, senators used questions and debate to probe charter school governance in CS/CS/SB 822, which was substituted with HB 443 and amended to expand charter autonomy over conduct codes, enrollment, reporting, and facility use while maintaining sponsor oversight; that bill was placed on the calendar for third reading rather than voted on in the excerpt. Several other measures, including SB 716, SB 76, and the final SB 1252 item, were postponed or not reached before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we would say on balance, that seems like a reasonable starting point.
• I think maybe there is also kind of a balance there.
• I think maybe there is also kind of a balance there.
• So I think we wanted to strike that balance.
• On balance, we think this is very good May Revision for schools.

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the May Revision’s Proposition 98 changes for K-12 and community colleges. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, full payment of the prior settle-up, and larger deposits into the school rainy-day fund. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF updates were reasonable, but urged caution about the settle-up approach and recommended using more of the available funding to protect ongoing programs and build budget resilience. Members focused heavily on the size of the proposed $3.9 billion settle-up, the $10.3 billion reserve deposit, declining K-12 enrollment, and how much of the new funding should be ongoing versus one-time. The committee then reviewed the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described the May Revision’s higher SCFF COLA, additional funding for enrollment growth, a student support block grant, apprenticeship adjustments, and continued funding for deferred maintenance, Calbright, Common Cloud, and credit for prior learning. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended prioritizing the statutory COLA increase, noted that more than half of districts are already above current-year growth targets, and said the new adult learner demonstration project should be rejected because districts already have tools to support similar services. Members also discussed a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall, which Finance said was discovered too late for the May Revision and would need to be addressed later. Finally, the committee took up the proposed implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the California Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career to build eligibility and data systems, along with trailer bill changes to set up state approval processes. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, that California lacks the needed infrastructure, and that the state will need emergency regulations, data linkages, and ongoing funding beyond the one-time proposal. The LAO agreed that some initial funding is needed but warned that the amounts and ongoing costs remain uncertain and that the Legislature should carefully draft the trailer bill language. Members asked about timing, other states’ actions, and how the state would ensure the program is ready for students and institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to have balance.
• We need to have balance. We need to have balance. Then everybody loves data centers.
• This is a balanced bill. It's a conservative bill.
• She did not think we could balance the budget.
• I request that... rational voice for a balance. I request that of everybody.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and spent much of the opening portion recognizing guests and interns from both parties, along with former lawmakers and a newly seated member, Representative Sylvia Allen. The chamber then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2065 honoring the late Alfredo Gutierrez. Members from both parties gave extended remarks about his life as a civil rights advocate, student activist, legislator, and mentor, and the resolution was unanimously adopted and transmitted to the Senate. Family members of Gutierrez were recognized in the gallery during the memorial tribute. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole on the first budget-related measures. On House Bill 4138, the “feed bill”/budget operations measure, Democrats argued the budget favored corporations and data centers over seniors, health care, housing, universities, and vulnerable families, while Republicans defended it as a continuation of prior policy and said it preserved tax conformity and modest agency cuts. After debate and questions, the committee recommended the bill do pass and the House adopted that report, sending HB 4138 to engrossing. The chamber next considered House Bill 4139, the amusement/gaming-related budget bill. Members debated whether it was essentially unchanged from last year’s budget language, with Republicans saying it was a continuation bill and that gaming-related provisions would support rural economies and tourism, while Democrats questioned the broader budget context and its effects on working families. The committee recommended HB 4139 do pass, and the House adopted that recommendation. The House then began debate on House Bill 4140, the state budget implementation bill, focusing on the budget stabilization fund and a proposed government efficiency initiative; discussion was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the community service reserve balance in the community service fund<00:36:23.800><c> to</c><00:36
• :24.400><c> its</c><00:36:24.600><c> undesignated</c><00:36:25.360><c> balance</c><00:36:25.800><c> in
• </c><00:36:25.960><c> the</c> fund to its undesignated balance in the fund to its undesignated balance
• And uh and at what those balances are.
• </c><00:38:13.120><c> up</c><00:38:13.360><c> on</c> Trying to use that fund balance up on something

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to school impact fees, which repeals school impact fees, abolishes and transfers unencumbered balances
• Is it housing or is it just balance.
• Because overall what's the impact the total balance we're talking about right now is $31 million.
• >> Yeah, $9 million in fair share balances and $22 million in impact fees. >> So it's a total of $31
• >> Yeah, $9 million in fair share balances and $22 million in impact fees. >> So it's a total of $31

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint House committees on Housing and Education heard HB 1713, HD1, which would repeal school impact fees and transfer remaining balances in the school impact fee and certain fair share accounts to the school facilities special fund. The Department of Education testified in opposition, while the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, the Attorney General’s office (with comments and suggested constitutional amendments), the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the School Facilities Authority, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, NAP Hawaii, Avalon Development Company, Mark Development, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Landis Research Foundation, BIA Hawaii, and others testified in support. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered comments. The DOE said the bill would weaken a key tool for matching school facilities to residential growth, while supporters said the current program leaves funds unused or restricted in ways that limit their effectiveness. A lengthy discussion followed about the difference between the older school impact fee program and the separate fair share agreements tied to land use entitlements and change-of-zone approvals. DOE Deputy Superintendent Jesse Suki explained that fair share funds are tied to the district where they were collected, may be too small to build a full school on their own, and are held until needed for projects such as Core Ridge, Central and West Maui, and other planned schools. Committee members pressed DOE on why funds had remained unspent for years, how much money was in the accounts, and whether the department had reviewed audit findings about the program. Members also questioned whether homeowners ultimately bear these costs through developers passing them along. The committee did not take a vote during the portion of the meeting provided. The discussion ended with members and DOE debating whether the current statute should remain in place, whether past entitlements should be affected, and whether the bill should be amended to better address remaining construction-related obligations and the use of collected funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• This policy, I believe, is balanced.
• I know it will work to make it even more balanced, but I believe it’s balanced and works to improve safety
• This policy, I believe, is balanced.
• I know it will work to make it even more balanced, but I believe it's balanced and works to improve the
• I know we'll work to make it even more balanced, but I believe it's balanced and works to improve the

Summary: The committee began with a public hearing on Substitute House Bill 1592, which would change how state public defense funds are distributed and, in the substitute version, keep current law on state funding responsibility while revising the allocation formula. Staff explained the bill would shift county and city distributions to a pro rata, caseload-based model, allow very low-density counties to request OPD to provide some or all public defense services, require additional data collection and reporting, and direct OPD to study caseload reductions and retention. Representative Peterson said the bill is meant to create a better structure for future state support of indigent defense without the very large cost of the original proposal. Testimony from counties, cities, OPD, defenders, and local officials was strongly supportive, emphasizing a statewide public defense crisis, rising local costs, staffing shortages, and the need for a fairer funding model. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 1742 on environmentally sustainable urban design and Substitute House Bill 1906 on water system regulation and water rates. HB 1742 would create a center in Ecology to promote sustainable urban design, fund design competitions and grants, and establish an advisory council; the sponsor said the bill reflects a desire to support a pilot project through alternative funding, and there was no public testimony. HB 1906 would require more planning and notice for Group A water systems, add customer notice and right-of-first-refusal provisions for some ownership changes, and direct the UTC to consider external funding sources, capital planning, and rate smoothing when setting water rates. Water utility and PUD witnesses supported the goal of improving transparency and consolidation of failing small systems, while noting the substitute reduced some fiscal concerns. The committee also heard HB 2248 on Secretary of State corporate and charity filings, HB 2438 creating the SEED scholarship for early childhood education students, and HB 2515 addressing emerging large energy use facilities such as data centers. HB 2248 would redirect part of annual filing fees to the Secretary of State revolving fund, require initial reports from nonprofits and LLPs, and change trademark certificate procedures; the fiscal note showed modest revenue losses, and the division supported restoring the fee split for operational funding. HB 2438 would transfer $10 million annually from the GET account to fund scholarships and wraparound services for early childhood education degree seekers, with testimony from early learning advocates and a student describing workforce shortages and personal financial barriers. HB 2515 drew extensive testimony both for and against: supporters said it would protect ratepayers, water resources, and grid reliability by requiring tariffs, reporting, clean-energy requirements, and a fee on large energy users; opponents argued it singled out data centers, could hurt investment and jobs, and included unrelated labor and procurement provisions. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive-session briefing on several bills and amendments, including HB 1903 on statewide low-income energy assistance, HB 1909 on a court unification task force, HB 1982 on vacating certain convictions tied to treaty Indian rights, HB 2034 on LEOFF Plan 1 retirement changes, HB 2105 on employer notice of federal I-9 audits, HB 2210 on ranked-choice voting, HB 2215 on Climate Commitment Act fuel supplier obligations, and HB 2271 on post-consumer recycled content requirements. Staff summarized proposed substitutes and amendments, with several changes aimed at reducing or shifting fiscal impacts, narrowing agency duties, or striking provisions entirely.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, to um balance out your classroom.
• How is it balanced? Frankly, how is it balanced in terms of interest?
• How is it balanced?
• </c><00:43:37.359><c> in</c> balanced?
• Frankly, how is it balanced in balanced?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 69, which would require local school boards to publicly vote on whether to accept or reject charitable gifts or donations, prompted by a case in which a church offered to pay off school lunch debt but the offer was refused and families were sued instead. Senator Keith Murphy said the bill is intended to force transparency and public accountability in similar situations, while acknowledging that boards may still reject gifts with strings attached or for ethical reasons. Members raised questions about anonymity, privacy, and whether school boards already have authority to address meal debt before litigation. Murphy said the bill was aimed at cases where money is refused and families are sued, and he said he would accept amendments to make the vote requirement apply to both accepted and rejected gifts. The hearing on the bill was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 206, which requires public schools to adopt policies limiting student cell phone use during the school day. Trisha Milo, presenting for Senator Rashardi, said the bill is meant to improve focus, reduce distraction and cyberbullying, and create more consistent policies across districts, while still allowing exceptions for medical, disability, language support, and instructional needs. Committee members questioned whether districts would retain flexibility, whether the bill should apply to charter schools and other devices, and whether the annual policy-update requirement and enforcement language were too prescriptive. Milo said districts would still have flexibility in how they write their policies and that she would seek clarification from the senator on several drafting questions. Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association testified in support of the general concept of a cell phone policy, saying many districts already have some form of policy, though not all do, and that existing sample policies are outdated. She said the annual update requirement would likely be burdensome and that the enforcement language seemed intended to ensure administrative involvement rather than teacher discipline, but she suggested the wording may need revision. Members also discussed whether very small districts or districts without schools should be covered and whether the bill should better distinguish between classroom enforcement and student discipline. The chair closed the hearing on Senate Bill 206 after no further testimony, and the committee moved on to the next bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I really wish that the costs of the budget would be balanced on the budget.
• I really wish that the costs of the budget would be balanced on the budget.
• How do you balance the intent of the Lanterman Act with the trailer bill language?
• How do you balance the intent of the Lanterman Act with the trailer bill language?
• How do you balance the choice is important?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> happening, how they're balancing happening, how they're balancing benefits<00:55:51.760><c> and<
• He said they are debating a bill that is just checks and balances, and he appreciated Chair Nash for
• </c><01:15:03.640><c> We</c><01:15:03.760><c> don't</c><01:15:03.920><c> want</c> and balances.
• We don't want and balances.
• </c><01:15:13.160><c> I</c> checks and balances in Minnesota. I checks and balances in Minnesota.

Bills: SF856, HF4482, HF3672, HF1234, HF4591, HF3554, HF936

Keywords: Inspector General, fraud prevention, state audit, public funds, misuse, transparency, government accountability, HF4482, Minnesota Historical Society, state historic sites, historic site management, historic preservation, county historical society, local historical society, municipality, county government, admission fees, grants-in-aid, site operations, site maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll do what we call a budget balancer.
• </c> We'll do what we call a budget balancer. We'll do what we call a budget balancer.
• </c> go, "Wow, $300 million budget balancer. go, "Wow, $300 million budget balancer.
• Currently, in the balance in this account, there's $15.8 million.
• Currently, it balance in this account is Currently, it balance in this account is 15.8<01:44:50.239><

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now I think we're balance it out.
• We're balancing this with other funding needs also.
• We're balancing this with other funding needs also.
• We're we're balancing this with this.
• Um so the balance in funding to rentals.

Bills: HB2611, HB2102, HB1710, HB1868, HB1920, HB1812, HB1733, HB1715, HB1723, HB1724, HB1727, HB1711

Keywords: HB2611, Hawaii antitrust, rental housing, rent price-fixing, algorithmic pricing, algorithmic rent-setting, property management software, pricing algorithms, rent coordination, price-fixing, collusion, cartel, multifamily housing, landlord software, occupancy levels, lease terms, Attorney General, public education program, consumer protection, housing affordability

Summary: The committee first took up HB 2611, which would prohibit algorithmic price-setting in Hawaii’s rental market, require public education by the Attorney General, and establish fines and penalties. The Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, saying its language was too unclear and could expose landlords and agents to criminal and civil liability for ordinary rent-setting practices based on public information or assistance from property professionals. Members asked about antitrust standards, tacit agreement, and whether using county-published affordable-rent schedules would be unlawful; the AG said that would not be unlawful if based on public information and without collusion. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Realtors with comments, 50501 Hawaii and General Strike Hawaii, Haloha Project, 13 individuals, and one opponent. The committee then heard HB 2102, which clarifies that residential projects involving ground disturbance in high-risk areas remain subject to state historic preservation review and removes an exemption for lands presumed nominally sensitive. The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and the Department of Planning and Permitting supported the measure, saying it would improve clarity and ensure review focuses on projects most likely to affect historic properties or iwi kupuna, while also urging language refinements to better define sensitive sandy-soil areas and balance preservation with housing timelines. NAP Hawaii opposed the bill, arguing it would undo progress made last session and that the current process already includes protections for inadvertent discoveries and efficiency for lower-risk areas. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs strongly supported HB 2102, explaining it was responding to beneficiary complaints about late-added language in last year’s law and saying the nominally sensitive-area language should be removed because it was adopted without sufficient stakeholder input and could be harmful to iwi kupuna protections. Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and several individuals also supported the bill. Committee discussion focused on how “nominally sensitive” areas are determined, whether project proponents could self-certify areas as exempt, and how high-density residential projects should be treated; SHPD said it uses survey and monitoring data to map sensitivity, that highly sensitive areas like Kīauea are not nominally sensitive, and that some high-density projects should remain exempt if they do not involve new ground disturbance. The hearing included no final vote in the portion provided, but the chair noted 48 individuals in support and continued questioning on the bill’s definitions and implementation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> end we came together to forge a balanced end we came together to forge a balanced budget<02:10:23.440
• </c><02:10:34.480><c> budget</c> wanted, but motans got a balanced budget wanted, but motans got a balanced
• </c> balanced the budget. Uh it's complete. balanced the budget. Uh it's complete.
• We wanted to balance the budget. We wanted to balance it for real.
• We wanted wanted to balance the budget.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of concerns when we try to balance of concerns when we try to balance safety<00:36:29.720><c> with
• So I think it's a good, balanced bill. Thank you.
• </c> a good balanced a good balanced Bill<00:57:16.400><c> thank</c><00:57:16.559><c> you</c><00:57:16.680
• </c> provision and the other is the balancing provision and the other is the balancing test<01:08:28.600
• </c><01:08:57.319><c> test</c> second is that under the balancing test second is that under the balancing

Bills: HF2233, HF1524, HF1893, HF1396, HF2456, HF2959, HF2300, HF2412, HF3022, HF2825, HF1862, HF1373, HF1039, HF3070

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• Balancing these community interests has not been an easy task.
• , so there's an important balance that we are trying to strike with this bill.
• , so there's an important balance that we are trying to strike with this bill.
• , so there's an important balance that we are trying to strike with this bill.
• , so there's an important balance that we are trying to strike with this bill.

Bills: HF1124, HF1457, HF1803

Keywords: school calendar, education, school year, Labor Day, state law, school construction, landfill, dump site, closed landfill, contaminated site, pollution control agency, school siting, public school, charter school, environmental health, student safety, brownfield, solid waste, waste disposal site, site contamination

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the balance of the fund is about $5 million, but to my understanding Mr.
• One important thing with this program is we really need to have that fund balance available so when an
• Currently, the balance of the fund is about $5 million, but to my understanding Mr.
• That queue ready to be awarded, uh, that fund balance will be zero here very soon. Mr.
• That queue ready to be awarded, uh, that fund balance will be zero here very soon. Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I guess I'm kind of looking at the annual balance, and I can kind of back into how much you spend
• Well, I guess I'm kind of looking at the annual balance, and I can kind of back into how much you spend
• So BDP is very important to have a fund balance because obviously the economy goes up and down.
• So keeping a good, solid balance of the BDP, I think, is very important.
• </c><01:24:00.960><c> uh</c> the last bium so the balance uh the last bium so the balance uh including

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that became law back in 2011 to balance that became law back in 2011 to balance the<00:04:04.159
• </c><00:14:56.240><c> year</c><00:14:56.399><c> and</c> to balance budgets every year and to balance
• </c><00:20:03.840><c> the</c><00:20:04.080><c> budget</c> we balance the budget we balance the budget
• >> We don't have a choice because we have to balance our budget this way.
• </c> book the savings on the the the balance book the savings on the the the balance sheet<01:36:31.040

Bills: HF3396

Keywords: property tax, task force, assessment, state revenue, local government, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield myself the balance of the time, Mr. Speaker.
• </c> Gentleman reserves balance of his time. Gentleman reserves balance of his time.
• Balance of Gentlemen, he yields back. Balance of his<02:20:58.880><c> time.
• Gentleman from balance of his time.
• You cannot balance the budget recession.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, 1012, house, all