Transcript Highlights:

• And uh, the attending vet can make an assessment about the degree of suffering and say, okay, this degree
• But if the degree of suffering merits euthanasia, then I think that the shell is in place.
• And uh, the attending vet can make an assessment about the degree of suffering and say, okay, this degree
• But if the degree of suffering merits euthanasia, then I think that the shall is in place.
• </c> can make an assessment about the degree can make an assessment about the degree of<00:34:19.280>

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , including Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, and other doctoral degrees.
• The current statute says a comprehensive university shall not offer certain terminal degrees, including
• Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, and other doctoral degrees.
• Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, and other doctoral degrees.
• at or above 56% in at bachelor's degrees at or above 56% in at least<00:06:54.240><c> two</c><00:06:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 77, which would allow comprehensive universities to pursue doctoral programs under a new approval process and, in the original bill, would also change who may serve on the EPSB board for small colleges and universities. The sponsor and Council on Postsecondary Education representative explained that the committee substitute removed the current statutory prohibition on comprehensive universities offering certain doctoral degrees, but added eligibility guardrails: a 77% first-to-second-year retention rate, a 56% six-year graduation rate, and three months of unrestricted cash reserves. They said the thresholds were based on national data placing institutions in roughly the top quartile, and that CPE would still review proposals for mission fit, workforce need, fiscal impact, and, where applicable, programmatic accreditation and legislative appropriations. EKU President David McFaden supported creating a pathway for comprehensive universities, said Kentucky is unusual in having an explicit statutory prohibition, and urged the committee to keep the standards attainable and durable. The committee approved the bill and adopted a title amendment, with the motion passing unanimously. The committee then heard Senate Joint Resolution 55, which addresses antisemitism on postsecondary campuses. Senator Tichenor said the resolution responds to a rise in antisemitic incidents after October 7, 2023, and would require campuses to notify students each semester of Title VI rights, complaint procedures, existing harassment policies, and available Jewish student resources. It would also direct campuses to disband student organizations found to provide material support to known terrorist organizations, report such matters to law enforcement, and collect and report antisemitism data to CPE for posting on its website. A guest speaker from the Kentucky Jewish Council described a sharp increase in reported incidents, including harassment, threats, vandalism, and hostile campus activity, and argued that schools have often done too little to respond. He said the resolution was amended to protect free speech while ensuring Jewish students receive the same protections as other protected groups. The transcript ends while testimony on the resolution was still underway, before any committee vote on SJR 55.

Transcript Highlights:

• Arizona employers feel it when our bachelor's degrees can't scale according to economic demand.
• Arizona employers feel it when our bachelor's degrees can't scale according to economic demand.
• Arizona employers feel it when our bachelor's degrees can't scale according to economic demand.
• There are 800,000 Arizonans who do not have a high school degree.
• Our programs help them get that high school degree, get them skills training, and into a higher-paying

Bills: HB4154 , HB4155 , HB4156 , HB4157 , HB4158 , HB4159 , HB4160 , HB4161 , HB4162 , HB4163 , HB4164 , HB4165 , HB4166 , HB4167 , HB4168 , HB4169 , SB1847 , SB1848 , SB1849 , SB1850 , SB1851 , SB1852 , SB1853 , SB1854 , SB1855 , SB1856 , SB1857 , SB1858 , SB1859 , SB1860 , SB1861 , SB1862

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: general appropriations act, budget, biennial budget, state spending, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, fiscal year 2027, state treasury, agency funding, operating budget, capital budget, public finance, state agencies, legislative budget, house appropriations, rules committee, HB4155, amusements, amusement industry, entertainment

Transcript Highlights:

• participate in federal nuclear-related programs and to expand their curricula to offer courses and degree
• 00:05:52.440><c> offer</c><00:05:52.720><c> courses</c><00:05:53.240><c> and</c><00:05:53.440><c> degree
• </c><00:05:53.800><c> paths</c><00:05:54.520><c> to</c> to offer courses and degree paths to to offer
• courses and degree paths to train<00:05:55.200><c> the</c><00:05:55.320><c> workforce</c><00:05:55.840
• </c><00:29:31.320><c> of</c><00:29:31.440><c> skill</c> the parties, the degree of skill the parties,

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows for a misdemeanor battery to be enhanced to a third-degree felony when the offender has a prior
• Captive insurers cover a wide... to a third-degree felony when the offender has a prior resisting officer
• The bill creates a third-degree felony criminal offense for fraudulent entry into a residential property
• The bill creates a third-degree felony criminal offense for fraudulent entry into a residential property
• As you may know, about 20% of our students today have some degree of dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The committee first confirmed six appointees in a single vote, then took up a series of bills, most of them reported favorably. The early debate centered on SB 208, a land-use bill by Sen. McLean that would require development fees to reflect review costs and create more objective compatibility standards for residential development denials. An amendment adding housing-related provisions, including an OPAGA study of urban development boundaries, drew extended discussion over the Everglades and local control; it was adopted, while a late-filed amendment on rural boundaries was withdrawn. The bill was then reported favorably after supporters and opponents, including Miami-Dade and housing groups, weighed in. The committee also favorably reported SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after amendments adding conservation, wildlife corridor, and Everglades-related protections, with one amendment specifically preserving stronger protections in counties covered by the Northern Everglades/Indian River Lagoon plan. Several criminal justice and public records measures also advanced. SB 436 would add resisting an officer with violence as a qualifying prior offense for battery enhancement and include certain felony battery offenses in prison release reoffender status. SB 830 would extend public-records protections to county and city administrators and related family information. SB 990 would authorize protected cell captive insurers in Florida. SB 600, on bail bonds, drew the most debate: an amendment by Sen. Rouson preserved the current treatment of charitable bail organizations’ deposits, with supporters arguing nonprofits help low-income defendants and critics saying the bill should distinguish commercial and nonprofit bonding; the amendment was adopted and the bill reported favorably. SB 914 on dry needling and SB 1434 on infill redevelopment also passed, the latter with an amendment removing a 10% markup requirement for buyback provisions. The committee then moved through a large education and health agenda. SB 1504 would let high school students who complete an insurance/personal finance elective qualify later for a customer service representative license. SB 1718 would expand educator preparation and temporary certification options. SB 7038 was a broad education package covering tuition waivers for Florida State Guard members, residency rules, consumer protections, dual enrollment, grading, and college funding; amendments clarified workforce licensure and exempted certain dental training from new licensure rules. SB 1092 on podiatric medicine added definitions and restrictions for cellular/tissue-based products. SB 1138 on qualified contractors created a pre-application review program for certain local governments, with historic-preservation carveouts. SB 186 on student health and safety required seizure-training and action plans in schools, and SB 560 on child welfare streamlined psychotropic-medication procedures for children in state care while adding youth advisory meetings and insurance-data review. SB 902, a broad Department of Health bill, addressed medical marijuana facility setbacks, practitioner discipline, autism microcredentials, marriage and family therapy licensure, a neurofibromatosis grant program, and family home health aide delegation; it passed after two amendments. Finally, SB 218 on land-use regulations limited hurricane-recovery restrictions to affected counties, SB 1002 expanded child-neglect definitions tied to parental drug abuse, SB 1474 tightened biosolids land-application rules, SB 1708 eased out-of-state veterinary licensure by endorsement, and SB 314 established a Florida regulatory framework for payment stablecoins aligned with federal law. Most measures were reported favorably by committee vote after brief testimony or no debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but what it does is it takes the, the most complex cases, first degree homicides, child sex cases
• A 17 and an 18 year old. were charged with murder, first-degree murder, just a week or two weeks ago.
• I mean, right now, if you commit second-degree murder, you commit Second degree murder, you take someone
• There's the serious youthful offender, that's only for first degree murders.
• So, attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, um, and, and then the attempts for

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• A native of Houston, she holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Swarthmore College and a
• master's degree in climate and society from Columbia University.
• degree from Cornell University.
• Degrees that these young people have. They have more degrees than a thermometer. Thank you.
• So, for the four or five hours of any temporary closure, any degree of...

Bills: HCR158 , HCR159 , HCR160 , HCR161 , HCR162 , HCR163 , HCR164 , HR174 , HR427 , HR790 , HR810 , HR857 , HR866 , HR882 , HR883 , HR962 , HR966 , HR1001 , HR1045 , HR1085 , HR1097 , HR1127 , HR1138 , HR1141 , HR1150 , HR1152 , HR1292 , HR1296 , HR1304 , HR1305 , HR1306 , HR1308 , HR1309 , HR1310 , HR1311 , HR1312 , HR1313 , HR1315 , HR1317 , HR1318 , HR1320 , HR1321 , HR1322 , HR1323 , HR1324 , HR1325 , HR1327 , HR1328 , HR1329 , HR1330 , HR1331 , HR1332 , HR1333 , HR1334 , HR1335 , HR1338 , HR1340 , HR1341 , HR1342 , HR1343 , HR1344 , HR1345 , HR1346 , HR1347 , HR1348 , HR1349 , HR1352 , HR1353 , HR1354 , HR1355 , HR1358 , HR1359 , HR1360 , HR1361 , HR1362 , HR1363 , HR1364 , HR1365 , HR1366 , HR1368 , HR1369 , HR1370 , HR1380 , HR1383 , HR1384 , HR1385 , HR1386 , HR1387 , HR1388 , HR1389 , HR1390 , HR1392 , HR1393 , HR1396 , HR1397 , HR1398 , HR1399 , HR1400 , HR1402 , HR1403 , HR1404 , HR1405 , HR1406 , HR1407 , HR1408 , HR1409 , HR1410 , HR1411 , HR1412 , HR1413 , HR1414 , HR1415 , HR1417 , HR1418 , HR1419 , HR1420 , HR1421 , HR1422 , HR1424 , HR1425 , HR1426 , HR1427 , HR1428 , HR1429 , HR1430 , HR1431 , HR1432 , HR1433 , HR1434 , HR1435 , HR1436 , HR1437 , HR1438 , HR1440 , HR1441 , HR1442 , HR1443 , HR1444 , HR1445 , HR1447 , HR1448 , HR1449 , HR1450 , HR1452 , HR1453 , HR1454 , HR1455 , HR1456 , HR1458 , HR1459 , HR1460 , HR1461 , HR1462 , HR1463 , HR1464 , HR1465 , HR1466 , HR1467 , HR1469 , HR1470 , HR1471 , HR1472 , HR1473 , HR1475 , HR1477 , HCR132 , HCR154 , HR17 , HR49 , HR170 , HR275 , HR355 , HR356 , HR364 , HR369 , HR672 , HR690 , HR755 , HR756 , HR759 , HR762 , HR763 , HR781 , HR785 , HR848 , HR1240 , HR1265 , HR1303 , HR1307 , HR1314 , HR1316 , HR1319 , HR1326 , HR1336 , HR1337 , HR1350 , HR1351 , HR1367 , HR1371 , HR1372 , HR1373 , HR1374 , HR1375 , HR1376 , HR1377 , HR1378 , HR1379 , HR1382 , HR1391 , HR1395 , HR1451 , HR1457 , HR1468 , HR1474 , HR1476 , SB1637 , SB2878 , HB2885 , HB2017 , HB5246 , SB8 , SB2308 , SB1405 , HB 119 , SB3059 , SB15 , SB568 , SB2900 , HB3642 , HB3909 , SB268 , HB493 , SB2217 , HB2516 , SB650 , HB2963 , SB1610 , HB705 , SB2972 , SB1540 , HB40 , SB2753 , SB1660 , SB2024 , HB1545 , HB46

Keywords: World War II, V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, Japan surrender, atomic bomb, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, USS Missouri, Douglas MacArthur, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Potsdam Conference, Pacific Theater, Greatest Generation, veterans, military history, commemoration, concurrent resolution, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're mindful of the degree to which we're shedding those now.
• And part... ...of the degree to which we're shedding those now, and part of the issues that we have are
• She viewed the video, indicted him with the grand jury, they upgraded it to a third-degree felony, so
• I graduated from a very rigorous high school here and later UT Austin with dual degrees in psychology
• So it was a double major. ...with a Bachelor of Science degree in both psychology and neuroscience.

Bills: HB4 , HB20

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2853, which would allow the UT System Board of Regents to adjust the University of Texas at El Paso student union fee above the current statutory cap, subject to student approval, to help fund a new student union building. Senator Blanco explained the bill and the committee substitute, there were no questions or witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending subject to the call of the chair. The committee then heard House Bill 610, which would limit severance payments for terminated independent school district superintendents to six months’ salary and benefits. Senator Paxton described large severance payouts and said the bill had passed the House overwhelmingly. There were no witnesses, public testimony was closed, and the bill was left pending. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 4623, which would waive school district immunity in certain cases involving negligent hiring, supervision, or employment of professional school employees who commit abuse or related misconduct against students. Senator Paxton and several witnesses, including survivors and parents, argued the bill was needed to address cover-ups, delayed reporting, and repeated failures to remove dangerous employees; some members raised concerns about liability caps, litigation, and how the bill would interact with the Tort Claims Act. The committee also heard from TEA staff and employee-group witnesses who discussed possible injunctions and stronger no-hire protections. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 4, an accountability and assessment bill that would restore A-F ratings, change the state testing system, and replace STAAR with shorter, more instructionally useful assessments. Senator Bettencourt explained the committee substitute, including annual ratings, limits on taxpayer-funded lawsuits, and a phased-in testing redesign with beginning, middle, and end-of-year assessments. Testimony was generally supportive from education and business groups, though some witnesses favored norm-referenced testing while others emphasized criterion-referenced, TEKS-aligned assessments; one witness noted social studies assessments were restored in the bill. The hearing concluded with additional invited testimony and no final vote reported in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Were he to be impeached, I'm in the second degree of consanguinity.
• As an example of consanguinity and affinity, the first First degree is parent, child, or spouse.
• Second degree is grandparent, brother, sister. grandchild, parent-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law
• Third degree is great-grandparent. aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, great grandchild, grandparent-in-law.
• I hold degrees in design, and international fashion business.

Bills: SB240 , SB1183 , SB1184 , SB1577 , SB2043 , SB2051 , SCR42 , SJR68

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: biological sex, gender identity, public facilities, civil penalties, local government, EBT, electronic benefits transfer, food stamps, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, TANF, temporary assistance for needy families, welfare benefits, benefit card fraud, fraud hotline, card replacement, photo ID, recipient photograph, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• Were he to be impeached, I'm in the second degree of consanguinity.
• First degree is parent, child, or spouse.
• Second degree is grandparent, brother, sister. grandchild, parent-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law
• Third degree is great-grandparent. aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, great grandchild, grandparent-in-law.
• I hold degrees in design, and international fashion business.

Bills: SB240 , SB1183 , SB1184 , SB1577 , SB2043 , SB2051 , SCR42 , SJR68

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: biological sex, gender identity, public facilities, civil penalties, local government, EBT, electronic benefits transfer, food stamps, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, TANF, temporary assistance for needy families, welfare benefits, benefit card fraud, fraud hotline, card replacement, photo ID, recipient photograph, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• The State of California has been hit; I think 700 of their herds have been infected to some degree with
• 56.959><c> some</c> their herds have been infected to some their herds have been infected to some degree
• with the the virus Minnesota has degree with the the virus Minnesota has been<00:04:00.640><c> pretty
• see that and account for that as much as we can with funding in this bill to backstop, to a slight degree
• see that and account for that as much as we can with funding in this bill to backstop, to a slight degree

Bills: HF1704 , HF1722

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: Minnesota agriculture budget, Department of Agriculture appropriation, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, farm bill, rural development, agricultural grants, soil health, livestock compensation, crop damage, meat inspection, poultry inspection, county agricultural inspectors, biofertilizer, nitrogen management, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, water quality, farm down payment assistance, beginning farmers

Transcript Highlights:

• Would they be rated for 1800 degrees for x amount of time?
• Most of our programs We have a few associate degrees, but most of the programs are certificates of completion
• We really think we're starting to see inroads where that stereotype that everybody needs a college degree
• or multiple college degrees is being challenged.
• It doesn't take a bachelor's or a master's degree. We're seeing that, but it takes a while.

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've earned college degrees while incarcerated, mentored others as well, and came out to become business
• We're talking about first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, lewdness with a minor with a previous
• The minimum penalty right now for first-degree murder in the state of Nevada is 20 years in prison.
• The minimum penalty for first-degree murder in the state of Nevada is 20 years in prison.
• And you are absolutely correct that it applies to every single case, including first-degree murder or

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the criminal misjustice you to clearly provide the damage to destruction of retail motor is a third degree
• Well, prior legislative session said, regardless of the pecuniary loss to that ATM, it's a third-degree
• That becomes a third degree felony so that we can bring them to justice, just like we have with ATMs.
• Absolutely not be tolerated here in Texas by increasing the punishment to a first-degree felony for these
• Classified as a first-degree felony, carrying a sentence of 25 years to life, and With that, Mr.

Bills: SB251 , SB608 , SB487 , SB535 , SB761 , SB955 , SB957 , SB958 , SB988 , SB990 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1120

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: criminal law, magistrates, Bell County, judicial authority, legal framework, evidence collection, sexual assault kits, reporting, law enforcement, transparency, confidentiality, victim protection, stalking, indecent assault, invasive visual recording, criminal justice, privacy rights, SB 535, Texas criminal procedure, rape shield

Transcript Highlights:

• High School Chaparral, who graduated cum laude from Rice University in 2000. 2003, receiving a dual degree
• Judge Long received his bachelor's degree from Georgetown.
• University in Washington, D.C., and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.
• You know, I've always said that I always felt I had the best bargain in the world by getting a degree
• I enrolled and proudly graduated. a master's degree in 2017.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He also said that terroristic threatening in the first degree is repeated terroristic threatening on
• She said she lost a job because of this, has a college degree and a master's degree, and is preparing
• > I'm</c> college degree a master's degree I'm college degree a master's degree I'm preparing<00:44:08.520
• or sexual assault in the second degree against a minor who is at least 16 years old.
• or sexual assault in the second degree against a minor who is at least 16 years old.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs met on February 19, 2025, and first heard House Bill 150, which would prohibit lending a firearm to someone who does not have a firearm permit or a registered firearm. The Department of Law Enforcement and the Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, though HPD said enforcing any time limit on a loaned firearm would be difficult. Several members of the public opposed the measure, arguing it would interfere with lawful lending for hunting, competitions, training, military-related use, and family situations, and could create unintended criminal liability. One supporter said the bill would strengthen gun safety and encourage more responsible ownership. No vote was taken during the testimony portion described. The committee then heard House Bill 186, which would make harassment by stalking a class C felony. The Office of the Public Defender requested deferral, arguing the bill would remove a misdemeanor option that can help deter escalation and could be unnecessarily severe and burdensome. Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, saying stalking can be a precursor to more serious violence. The Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney raised concerns about how the new felony would fit within the existing grading scheme, noting that aggravated harassment by stalking and first-degree terroristic threatening are already class C felonies. April Bautista testified in strong support, describing her own experience with domestic violence and stalking and urging passage of the bill. Committee members discussed whether other penalty structures might be possible, but no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard House Bill 991, which would delete the term “agent of the contractor” from criminal history record check provisions to comply with FBI requirements. The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center supported the bill with comments, explaining that the FBI had found the term too broad for fingerprint-based background checks tied to access to federal tax information. In addition, House Bill 995 was introduced, changing deadlines for annual firearms carry reporting; the Department of the Attorney General supported it, saying the revised deadlines would allow a more complete report, and HPD was also heard on the measure. The transcript ends before any votes or final committee actions on these bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• rough-and-tumble place of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and I graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree
• tumble place of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and I graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree
• Salvador Cruz continued his introduction: “I graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Network Management.
• the spectrum, but with support, he's been able to move forward to graduate soon with an associate's degree
• spectrum, but with support, he's been able to move forward and is soon graduating with an associate's degree

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• To make it so that it becomes a 4th degree felony, um, I think is, is pretty serious, um.
• Um, and a person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a 4th degree felony, so the
• So that's where it rises to that higher degree, whereas with a false report, it can just be you're going

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• consistent language throughout health care in general, the one section, 156, actually introduces a degree
• consistent language throughout health care in general, the one section, 156, actually introduces a degree
• Um, I'm a degree of vagary which has been cleaned up um by the testimony of uh Miss Reichard.
• The concern we would have is the degree to which you have strong consumer protection.
• to which you have absolutely the degree to which you have strong<01:53:26.000><c> consumer</c><01:53

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related measures, with most of the discussion focused on bills addressing tobacco/vape enforcement, psychology licensure, hospital price transparency, prior authorization, and medical cannabis. The chair opened by explaining the one-minute testimony limit and that written testimony had been reviewed. For SB 2175 on disposable electronic smoking devices, the Department of Health said the bill’s placement in litter-control law was not a good fit because disposable e-cigarettes contain hazardous materials like lithium and nicotine, but it supported the intent and pointed to a related measure. Public health and tobacco-control advocates strongly supported the bill, citing youth use, toxic waste, battery fires, and the need to tighten definitions and remove exemptions; a long list of organizations and individuals were noted in support, with no opposition mentioned. For SB 2410, which would create a state directory and enforcement tools for authorized e-cigarette products, the Attorney General’s office strongly supported the measure and said it would help enforce the FDA-authorized list of products through certification, inspections, and civil penalties. The Department of Health said thousands of illegal products remain on the market and cited youth usage rates, while public health groups also supported the bill. One tobacco industry-related witness was noted in opposition. SB 2080, the psychology interjurisdictional compact, drew support from the Department of Corrections, which said it had severe staffing shortages and that the compact would help fill gaps, especially for forensic psychology and neighbor island facilities. Some committee members raised concerns about whether the compact would loosen licensure standards and reduce licensing revenue, and the Board of Psychology was said to be meeting and had not taken a formal position; testimony also noted the need for resources if the compact were adopted. The committee also heard SB 2276 on surgical assistance, with DCCA in opposition and a supporter from the field, but little discussion followed. SB 2277 on hospital price transparency drew support from consumer and patient advocates, who argued that clearer pricing would reduce medical debt and help patients shop for care; DCCA and the Department of Health offered comments, with the department suggesting an alternative enforcement model using outside review entities and noting that implementation would require significant staffing and funding. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii opposed the bill, saying federal transparency rules already cover the issue and state law could create duplication. SB 2282 on prior authorization received comments from insurers and providers; HMSA asked that the bill be set aside pending the report of the prior authorization working group created by Act 151, while the Hawaii Medical Association said prior authorization is a major burden but deferred to regulators on resources. Finally, SB 2413 on medical cannabis was supported by the Office of Medical Cannabis and others, who said the bill would close a patient-access gap by allowing viable seed sales; one witness suggested clarifying jurisdictional language and allowing dispensaries to sell seeds to each other. The committee then began SB 2425 on health insurance, where an addiction treatment provider testified that insurers’ refusal to honor assignment-of-benefits payments can delay reimbursement and create relapse risk for patients, but the transcript cuts off before further action on that bill.