Transcript Highlights:

• Utilizing this strategy in Submittal County we've achieved a 29% reduction in overdoses and a 42% reduction
• While we have seen this reduction we know that the hard work still lies ahead.
• And when we look at the significance of the reduction, we're proud about that, I talked about a 29% reduction
• in overdoses or poisonings and a 42% reduction in fatalities.
• Palm Beach County is another county that had a remarkable reduction 40% more or more reduction in fatalities

Keywords: opioid crisis, overdose, naloxone, drug trafficking, law enforcement, treatment, prevention, older adults, Medicaid expansion

Summary: The meeting convened to address the dire opioid crisis affecting communities nationwide, with a particular focus on the alarming rise of opioid use disorder among older adults. Key testimonies highlighted the critical need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and strict law enforcement actions against drug traffickers. Sheriff Dennis Lima from Seminole County outlined successful strategies implemented in Florida, including increased access to naloxone and legislative changes to hold drug dealers accountable for overdoses. Various members expressed a united front on tackling this multifaceted issue, advocating for the expansion of Medicaid and better access to treatment as essential steps to curbing the epidemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1048 addresses a challenge in the California workers' compensation system, an unauthorized payment reduction
• As a result, these reductions can often fall... ...or silent network arrangements.
• As a result, these reductions can often fall below the official medical fee schedule.
• have access to the information necessary to understand why a payment was reduced and whether the reduction
• they are obligated by current Labor Code Section 4609 to demonstrate the justification for that reduction

Summary: The Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee heard and advanced several bills covering workers’ compensation transparency, public pensions, prevailing wage, workplace harassment training, and employee benefits. AB 1048 would require disclosure of the contract justifying reduced workers’ compensation payments to medical providers; supporters said it would improve transparency without changing reimbursement rates, while opponents argued the problem was overstated and existing dispute remedies were sufficient. AB 1601 would give Sonoma County flexibility to target a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees rather than requiring an all-or-nothing COLA; county and union witnesses said retirees have gone without a COLA since 2008 and have lost purchasing power, and the bill passed unanimously. AB 1439 would commission a UC Berkeley study on labor standards in pension-funded real estate and infrastructure projects; labor groups supported it, while local governments, housing, and industry groups opposed it, and it passed on a 4-1 vote after one senator voted no in committee. The committee also heard AB 1697, which would delay implementation of a prior law restricting certain employment debt and pay-to-quit arrangements until 2027; the author said the delay would give employers, including professional sports leagues, time to adjust, while a financial services group sought a further delay to 2028. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech content in existing workplace harassment training for employers with five or more employees; supporters cited rising antisemitic and other hate incidents and said the bill would help workers recognize and report hate, while opponents raised First Amendment concerns and argued existing harassment law already covers hostile conduct. AB 2120 would extend Los Angeles Unified’s selective certification hiring authority and allow retention of specialized employees in layoffs, and AB 2292 would bar providers from charging administrative fees for disability insurance and paid family leave certification forms; both drew support and were advanced without opposition testimony. AB 1198, the Fair Pay for Construction Workers Act, would require prevailing wage to be based on the time work is performed rather than the date a project is advertised for bid. Labor and contractor supporters said the current rule can lock in outdated wages and underpay workers on long projects and change orders, while cities, counties, and contractor groups warned it would create uncertainty, raise costs, and jeopardize projects funded by fixed grants or bonds. After testimony and questions, the committee voted to send all of the bills forward, with final recorded votes later showing unanimous or near-unanimous approval and several measures placed on call before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1048 addresses a challenge in the California workers' compensation system, an authorized payment reductions
• As a result, these reductions can often fall... ...or silent network arrangements.
• As a result, these reductions can often fall below the official medical fee schedule.
• have access to the information necessary to understand why a payment was reduced and whether the reduction
• doctor, they are obligated by current Labor Code 4609 to demonstrate the justification for that reduction

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Definitely need his voice representing especially the harm reduction community as part of our advisory
• Definitely need his voice representing especially the harm reduction community as part of our advisory
• Um, Kunani Dryer, um, from the community and from Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, and I've been
• 08:21.880><c> harm</c> um in embodies this work around harm um in embodies this work around harm reduction
• and being very understanding reduction and being very understanding and<00:08:24.520><c> knowing</c>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard several governor’s message nominations for health-related boards and commissions. Kanwardeep Kaleka was considered for the Substance Abuse Kauai Service Area Board; he said his work as a psychiatrist and family physician on Kauai motivates him to improve mental health and addiction services. Kunani Dryer was considered for the Hawaii Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances; he emphasized 26 years of personal recovery, harm reduction experience, and representation of rural, LGBTQIA+, and Native Hawaiian communities. Olivia Kim was considered for the Center for Nursing Advisory Board; testimony highlighted her experience in nursing leadership, long-term care, and LPN workforce issues. Trisha Lynn Yamashita was considered for the Kauai Subarea Health Planning Council; she described her hospice leadership, public health and palliative care background, and focus on data-informed, community-centered planning. Emily Dong was considered for the Board of Certification of Operating Personnel Wastewater Treatment Plants; she stressed wastewater’s public health importance and the need to strengthen the operator workforce pipeline. Testimony in support came from the Department of Health and several organizations and individuals, including the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hina Mauka, the Kauai mayor, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and others. Committee members generally praised the nominees’ credentials and community ties, and repeatedly noted the value of lived experience, rural perspective, and workforce expertise. One nominee, Olivia Kim, was not present and was deferred to a later meeting for decision-making. At the end of the hearing, the committee took up the governor’s messages and recommended advise and consent for GM707, GM537, GM545, GM724, and GM790, with Senator Fevella excused and no objections recorded. GM662 was deferred to Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 3:20 p.m. in Room 225 because the nominee could not attend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as part of the governor's recommendation, some of the reductions to the total budget bottom line require
• policy bills that get pretty close to those amounts that the governor recommended as part of the reduction
• policy bills that get pretty close to those amounts that the governor recommended as part of the reduction
• So to sort of what Representative Petzke was stating earlier, this is the additional 2% reduction on
• The division has requested $40,900 in new equipment for the state veterans' homes and a reduction of

Summary: The committee began by recognizing two pages, Conrad and Easton Chandler, thanking them for their service and presenting letters and gifts before moving into budget work. Christopher LaHosette then gave a general fund budget update, explaining how the green sheet reflected JFAC’s prior base and maintenance actions and highlighting two policy bills tied to budget reductions: House Bill 622, which would reduce the IDLA appropriation by about $9 million, and Senate Bill 1312, which would reduce Medicaid general fund spending by about $21 million through a residential habilitation rate change. The committee then considered several budget-setting items. It approved a $17,800 reimbursement for the military division’s hazardous materials deficiency warrants, but a larger military division enhancement request to restore funding for the State Guardsman Education Assistance Program was debated at length and ultimately failed on the original motion; a substitute motion to hold the item at the call of the chair passed. The committee also approved enhancements for PERSI, the Division of Veteran Services, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the State Tax Commission’s supplemental request for federal tax conformity implementation costs. The Tax Commission’s larger FY 2027 enhancement package also passed, with language directing that one appropriation be used only for fast tax collection vendor payments and any unused amount revert to the general fund. The committee then took up language for the Division of Veteran Services intended to signal future funding for cemetery maintenance, but that language failed after members objected that it could not bind a future legislature. Additional cleanup language was later adopted to correct previously approved maintenance bill language, including clarifying transfer authority and fixing year references and agency names. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would hold budget hearings for the Department of Water Resources and the Soil and Water Conservation Commission on the following Monday, with no votes scheduled.

Transcript Highlights:

• If approved, these changes would include a 2% reduction in total word count, eliminating 394 words; a
• A 13.48% reduction in total word count, a 27% reduction in restrictive words, and we eliminated three
• That's a 14% reduction.
• We found four restrictive words that could be removed, and that's a 27% reduction.
• But we will see some reduction in limited hours, reduced services.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee began with a recognition of page Marley Johnson, who said he plans to finish school, attend flight school, and possibly pursue an aviation degree. Members asked about his goals and experience, and the committee presented him with a letter of recommendation for flight school and an American 250 flag flown over the Capitol. Johnson said the six-week experience changed his perspective on state politics and showed him that members work toward the same goal for the state. The committee then considered several gubernatorial appointments and Idaho Department of Lands rules. It voted to send the reappointment of David Bobbitt to the floor with a due pass recommendation. James Keating, seeking reappointment to the Idaho Parks and Recreation Board, testified about his private- and public-sector management background and said the main challenges for Parks and Recreation are demand exceeding capacity and deferred maintenance; his appointment was held for a later vote. The Lake Pend Oreille Basin Commission presented a study claiming the Corps of Engineers’ lake-level management causes about $40 million in annual economic losses in North Idaho by shortening the recreational season, and members questioned the effects on recreation, business, fish habitat, and lake users. The committee also approved pending rules for mine land reclamation, navigable waterways fees, and easements on state-owned lands, all under the Department of Lands’ zero-based regulation review. The Department of Lands said the mine reclamation rule mainly governs reclamation after mining, not active operations, and that public comments led mostly to wording and organization changes. The navigable waterways fee rule was described as a cleanup measure with no fee increases, while the easements rule reduced word count, removed nominal fees, clarified compensation for easements, expanded emergency work definitions, and extended temporary permits from 10 to 20 years. Each rule was approved by motion with no opposition. In the final agency update, Parks and Recreation Director Susan Buxton described the agency’s 30 parks, its role in outdoor recreation and the state economy, and major deferred maintenance and capacity projects funded largely through dedicated funds and federal grants. She said the agency expects 339 new campsites, 346 new docks and slips, and 26 new day-use areas, and highlighted renovations and expansions at parks including Ponderosa, Harriman, Priest Lake, Lake Cascade, Eagle Island, and others. She also noted that snowmobile registrations are down because of low snow, which could reduce funding for county-run snowmobile programs. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The general fund rescission that this committee approved includes the reduction of one full-time position
• The total general fund reduction is $148,600.
• JFAC has acted to implement an additional 2% reduction to the general fund in addition to the governor's
• recommended 3% holdback, which is shown on the ongoing base reduction line on the fourth line from the
• If the legislature approves enhancement requests, the budget would be an 18% reduction from the general

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations for the Department of Administration and the Permanent Building Fund. For Administration, analysts reviewed the agency’s divisions, staffing, dedicated-fund structure, recent budget growth, and the governor’s and JFAC’s recommended changes. The department requested shifts of utility costs from the general fund to dedicated funds, three new positions and funding for Medicaid procurement and contract management, transfers of some positions between divisions, and one-time IT replacement funding. Members also discussed office-space utilization, vacant buildings and land at Chinden and elsewhere, and the department’s efforts to consolidate space and reduce general fund reliance. Director Bailey said the department has reduced or repurposed positions, closed duplicate printing operations, is exploring digital workflows and AI tools, and is trying to move toward a fully dedicated-fund model. He also explained the decision to remove GLP-1 weight-loss coverage from the state health plan due to rapidly rising costs, while noting diabetes coverage remains in place. Committee members questioned the need for higher-level procurement staff for Medicaid contracts, the role of Deloitte and the Department of Health and Welfare in the process, and the status of the MMIS procurement, which Bailey said is currently stayed by the courts after a legal challenge from the second-place vendor. He said the delay will affect MMIS implementation and, in turn, the timing of the broader managed care rollout. Members also asked about vacant state office space, the possible sale of older buildings, and whether agencies such as ITD and Health and Welfare could be moved into state-owned space to reduce lease costs. Bailey said the department is actively working on those facility-planning questions and that agencies at Chinden are paying rent for occupied space. The committee then reviewed the Permanent Building Fund budget, which finances state construction, repairs, and deferred maintenance through dedicated revenue sources and interest earnings. Analysts highlighted the fund’s multi-year project structure, the large deferred maintenance program funded in prior years, and a proposed one-time transfer of $33.75 million in canceled capital project balances to the general fund. They also described a possible redirection of fiscal year 2027 interest earnings to the general fund and a recommended new capital project for an Idaho National Guard readiness center. Administrator Barard reported that the Division of Public Works is managing 595 active projects, with most FY 2025 projects under construction, in design, or complete, and said the division continues to face labor shortages and rising construction costs. Members asked about canceled projects, including the North Idaho reentry center, the Carnegie Library purchase, the ISU pedestrian crossing, the Idaho State Police Lewiston facility, and other projects; staff said some are unlikely to return soon, while others may come back once land or other prerequisites are secured. The committee concluded the hearing and announced it would meet the next day for the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Office of the State Public Defender.

Transcript Highlights:

• The one big beautiful bill included substantial tax reductions for income taxpayers.
• support with a more broad tax relief going to all families by increasing the child tax credit, the reduction
• So what this alternative will do is it is a more expansive tax reduction for seniors.
• We've already given seniors this reduction.
• Now, we can absorb the reduction in revenues into our budget.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, recognized the Doctor of the Day, and welcomed several guest groups, including JAG students and students from Heila Ben High School. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider HB 2153, the annual tax conformity bill, which was described by supporters as aligning Arizona tax law with recent federal changes and providing relief through no tax on tips and overtime, a larger child tax credit, a new child care expense deduction, and a deduction for certain retirement income. Opponents argued the measure would primarily benefit wealthy individuals and corporations, reduce state revenue, and leave some seniors out because the retirement-income deduction is tied to retirement accounts. Members also discussed the Department of Revenue’s already-issued tax forms and the need for certainty for filers. After extended debate, the Committee of the Whole gave HB 2153 a do pass recommendation by a vote of 31-26, and the House adopted the report and sent the bill to engrossing. The House then took up the Senate mirror bill, SB 1106, substituted for HB 2153, and after floor explanations of vote, passed it 31-27 with 2 not voting. Supporters said the bill would help working families, seniors, and small businesses and prevent filing confusion, while opponents repeated concerns about cost, fairness, and impacts on public services. The bill was transmitted to the Senate. Following the tax vote, members made several announcements, including birthday wishes and a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and committee chairs announced upcoming cancellations. The House then recessed and reconvened for first reading and referral of a long list of new bills covering topics such as elections, health care, education, transportation, public safety, taxation, housing, and appropriations. The session ended with a motion to adjourn until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• addresses a growing challenge in California's workers' compensation system: unauthorized payment reductions
• These reductions often fall well below the official fee schedule and, in some cases, even below Medicare
• Unfortunately, current law does not specifically allow providers to dispute these reductions through
• It is simply to clarify that disputed payment reductions can be reviewed through the existing IBR process
• Without greater focus on risk reduction and improved tools for resilience, communities are likely to

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee and heard several bills related to workers’ compensation, insurance access, climate resilience, and farmworker protections. AB 815 would prevent social service workers who use personal vehicles to transport clients from being misclassified as commercial or for-hire drivers under personal auto policies; supporters said the current practice leads to unaffordable premiums and denied claims, while no opposition testified. AB 1329 would revise the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund to reduce litigation and medical-legal costs and lower employer assessments; insurers and business groups opposed unless amended, citing concerns about eligibility standards and the QME process, but the bill advanced after amendments were discussed. AB 1048 would allow disputed unauthorized payment reductions for medical providers to be reviewed through independent bill review; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while opposition argued IBR is the wrong forum and existing contract dispute processes should control, though the bill also passed. AB 1236 would create a Department of Insurance grant program for climate and sustainability risk-reduction projects, with broad support from the department, environmental groups, and insurers, and it passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 1336, the Farmworker Heat Illness Prevention Act, which would create a rebuttable presumption that a heat-related injury arose out of employment when an agricultural employer fails to comply with heat illness prevention standards. Supporters, including United Farm Workers, argued the bill would help protect farmworkers amid extreme heat and enforcement gaps; opponents from the workers’ compensation and agricultural sectors said the measure improperly uses the compensation system to enforce OSHA rules and could create unclear adjudication and delay issues. Members discussed Cal/OSHA enforcement limits, undocumented workers’ reluctance to report violations, and the relationship between the bill and existing workers’ compensation procedures. Despite opposition, AB 1336 passed on a divided vote. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 1125, AB 1293, and AB 1398, which were approved together. Roll calls were held open and later completed, and the bills that advanced were sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after final votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• for our school districts, um, or we will continue to struggle and we will continue to have budget reductions
• for our school districts, um, or we will continue to struggle and we will continue to have budget reductions
• for our school districts, um, or we will continue to struggle and we will continue to have budget reductions
• <00:08:10.879><c> to</c><00:08:11.000><c> have</c><00:08:11.159><c> budget</c><00:08:11.440><c> reductions
• </c> continue to have budget reductions continue to have budget reductions across<00:08:12.319><c> their

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But when the MCAD faced reductions to its federal funding from its federal partners, the Equal Employment
• recall, during the first iteration of the current presidential administration, the EEOC realized reductions
• At HUD, the program that we receive our FAP, or Fair Housing funding, through has seen a 75% reduction
• We completely understand the financial constraints of the Commonwealth and the possibility of reductions
• Again, it has seen reductions.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on 10 bills covering voluntary contributions, sales tax, property tax, and economic development. Chair Adrian Madaro outlined the process, noted the July 12 reporting deadline for House-filed matters, and explained that written testimony would be accepted through July 7. Testimony was limited to three minutes per speaker, with questions from committee members after each witness. Several local and statewide measures were presented in support. Melrose Mayor Jennifer Grigoratus supported H. 3979, which would authorize Melrose to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption tied to the state Senior Circuit Breaker credit; she said the program has helped 209 senior households and provides relief of several hundred to about a thousand dollars per household. Michael Memelow of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination supported H. 3109 and S. 2014, which would create a Massachusetts Against Discrimination Fund allowing voluntary donations, including through tax returns, to help offset uncertainty in federal funding that supports about 20% of MCAD’s operations. Tom Hurley of the Massachusetts Airport Management Association supported H. 3125, which would exempt runway and taxiway infrastructure at privately owned public-use airports from property tax, arguing it would address an economic fairness issue for 10 such airports. Chris Gregory testified in support of H. 3037, a voluntary income tax checkoff for a least developed countries fund administered through Oxfam and the World Bank to support environmental work in the world’s poorest countries. Committee members asked follow-up questions about the number of Melrose households receiving the exemption, the scale and risk of MCAD’s federal funding, dual-filing procedures with the EEOC, the tax burden and local impact of privately owned airports, and the structure and administration of the least developed countries fund. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reductions in the budget may hinder Minit's ability to continue some of those strong leadership functions
• Budget reductions will impact service levels, state revenues, and fraud prevention, resulting in weakened
• Reductions to services will increase call wait times for taxpayers needing assistance. and delay refunds
• Reductions in audit and collection activities mean less revenue.
• Revenue is also working with the tax and other committees on potential reductions and other changes in

Bills: HF2783

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• order to be consistent, and keep in mind, this is statewide in all the committees, we have made reductions
• And while I am recommending a reduction here, I have not recommended a reduction in the salary budget
• What the reduction would be from last year to this year?
• How it's different than last year, um, what the reduction would be from last year to this year.

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met to consider its recommended fiscal year 2025-2026 budget and a conforming committee bill. Chair Shove presented an $18.5 billion TED budget, describing it as about 8.5% below the prior year’s TED budget and emphasizing recurring savings, reductions to vacant positions over 90 days old, and a focus on core agency needs. He highlighted funding for economic development, Visit Florida, Space Florida, affordable housing programs, military affairs, libraries, cultural and historic preservation grants, emergency management, and a $14.1 billion transportation work program. The committee then took up PCB TED 2501, which changes documentary stamp tax distributions by redirecting certain revenues to general revenue. The bill would reinstate the general revenue service charge on the supplemental housing-related dock stamp revenue, eliminating a recurring $150 million source for the State Housing Trust Fund, and would also redirect about $466 million from the State Transportation Trust Fund to general revenue. Chair Shove said the measure has no net zero fiscal impact on state revenues and does not alter the longstanding standard dock stamp funding for affordable housing or eliminate FDOT programs, arguing the bill preserves flexibility for future legislatures. Public testimony was split. Representatives from the Florida Transportation Builders Association and the Florida Public Transportation Association warned that the transportation trust fund reduction would significantly affect FDOT’s five-year work program, especially the Strategic Intermodal System, and could reduce planned capacity improvements and transit funding. Several members also raised concerns about the housing-related changes, arguing the bill undercuts commitments made through the Live Local framework and could weaken affordable housing efforts. In closing, Chair Shove defended the bill as a necessary tightening of recurring spending and said existing affordable housing and transportation programs would still be funded through other appropriations. The committee approved PCB TED 2501 on a 10-2 vote and reported it favorably before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3486 by Hunter, relating to the reduction in the amount of sales and use tax collections and the owners
• HB 3487 by Hunter, relating to the reduction in the amount of sales and use tax collections and the owners
• HB 3487 by Hunter relating to the reduction in the amount of sales and the use of tax collectors and
• HJR 153 by Dean, proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide the reduction
• HJR 153 by Dean proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide the reduction

Summary: The House met briefly to read a large number of first-reading bills, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions and refer them to the appropriate committees. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public health, education, criminal justice, taxation, transportation, water and natural resources, elections, housing, veterans issues, local government, and constitutional amendments. Several bills focused on school policy, health care regulation, property tax and sales tax changes, criminal penalties, and local or state agency authority. Among the notable items were proposals on name and sex changes on birth records, college admissions inquiries into criminal history, foster care contractor liability, school nutrition and assessment policy, election procedures, homestead and franchise tax exemptions, public retirement system reporting, and numerous transportation and infrastructure measures. The House also received resolutions designating local honors and observances, including Brownsville as the bicycling capital of the Rio Grande Valley, Port Aransas as the fishing capital of Texas, and Selena Quintanilla Perez Day. Some measures proposed constitutional amendments on legislative procedure, homestead taxation, and election-law enforcement authority. No debate or testimony occurred in this segment; the action was limited to first reading and referral. The session also referred several resolutions to the Local and Consent Calendars. At the end of the proceedings, the House adjourned without objection until 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Transcript Highlights:

• responsibility policy; one representative from an environmental organization that specializes in waste reduction
• responsibility policy; one representative from an environmental organization that specializes in waste reduction
• responsibility policy; one representative from an environmental organization that specializes in waste reduction
• responsibility policy; one representative from an environmental organization that specializes in waste reduction
• responsibility policy; one representative from an environmental organization that specializes in waste reduction

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee met on February 12 in Room 224 and via videoconference to consider several measures. First, it heard Senate Bill 547 on water conservation, which would create an income tax credit for gray water recycling systems and atmospheric water generators, along with a rebate program and building code standards. The chair recommended passing the bill with amendments from DOA and the Department of Health and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050; the recommendation was adopted unanimously by the members present. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1633, a Green Building tax credit measure tied to the use of Hawaii-grown hemp in primary structures, and also addressing hemp and cannabinoid product regulation, including age limits, packaging requirements, THC limits, and a separate hemp program within the Department of Health. The chair recommended passing the bill with DOA amendments and a further amendment allowing hemp processors to sell certain edible or beverage cannabinoid products with limited THC content, plus a deferred effective date of July 1, 2050. The motion passed with five votes in favor. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 391 on recycling, which would expand the Electronic Device Recycling and Recovery Act to cover certain lithium-ion batteries and require manufacturers to ensure their safe collection and recycling. The chair instead recommended amending the bill into a working group under the Hawaii State Energy Office to study battery end-of-life management, costs, safety, environmental impacts, in-state versus out-of-state recycling options, and related feasibility questions, with a report due before the 2026 regular session and dissolution on June 30, 2026. That amended approach was adopted unanimously, and the hearing concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This plan will achieve a nearly 60% reduction compared to 2020 levels.
• Forecasts are scrutinized, and reductions are made where costs are unsupported.
• Forecasts are scrutinized, and reductions are made where costs are unsupported.
• So there's a real opportunity for a virtuous cycle here with regards to risk reduction.
• So it is also essential that we prioritize meaningful, immediate harm-reduction measures.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held an oversight hearing focused on electric rates, utility regulation, affordability, wildfire costs, and the California Public Utilities Commission’s role. Chair and members framed the discussion around the challenge of transitioning to a cleaner grid while maintaining reliability and keeping bills affordable. The hearing also served as the annual update from the CPUC and the Public Advocates Office, with testimony from Professor Severin Borenstein and CPUC President-designate Alice Reynolds. Borenstein gave a primer on utility regulation, explaining that generation is largely deregulated while transmission and distribution remain regulated, and that most rate-setting follows cost-of-service regulation. He emphasized that the hardest issue is setting the allowed return on equity: too high can raise bills and encourage capital-heavy spending, while too low can deter investment and harm reliability. He argued there is no silver bullet, said performance-based regulation and price caps have limits, and suggested some costs now charged through electric bills—such as climate programs, low-income subsidies, and wildfire-related public policy costs—might more appropriately be paid through the state budget. Reynolds described the CPUC’s oversight role, saying the commission reviews utility spending through general rate cases, balancing accounts, and other proceedings, and that affordability is addressed through front-end scrutiny, post-spend accountability, and legislative direction. She highlighted wildfire mitigation as a major driver of rate increases, noted recent progress on clean energy procurement and battery storage, and said the CPUC is working on return-on-equity decisions, FERC advocacy on transmission costs, and implementation of SB 254 and other statutes. Members pressed on a range of issues, including wildfire securitization, load growth from EVs and data centers, gas-system stranded assets, balancing accounts, and a water-service dispute in Keene involving Union Pacific. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with several follow-up commitments from the CPUC to provide data and updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• The plan will achieve a nearly 60% reduction compared to 2020 levels.
• Forecasts are scrutinized, and reductions are made where costs are unsupported.
• Forecasts are scrutinized, and reductions are made where costs are unsupported.
• So there's a real opportunity for a virtuous cycle here with regards to risk reduction.
• So it is also essential that we prioritize meaningful, immediate harm-reduction measures.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think the reductions that I've done are reasonable. Um, they are doable.
• And I think the reductions that I've done are reasonable.
• </c> reductions.
• And I think the reductions reductions.
• </c><00:58:10.799><c> of</c> And that would also put the reduction of And that would also put the reduction

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Start sort of this I mean you keep talking about reductions in population.
• Reductions of kids in placement, reduction of kids on probation, reductions of contact with systems.
• I mean are we talking about just the reductions for the sake of the reductions?
• I mean what are we getting for... for those reductions? Like, why are we seeking those reductions?
• We seek those reductions because that actually leads to. to long-term safety.

Bills: HB31, HB3360

Keywords: juvenile justice, community supervision, felony offenses, treatment of children, juvenile facilities, chemical dispensing device, solitary confinement, rehabilitation, criminal proceedings, delinquency, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, with a number of insurers that have left our state market and then significant coverage reduction
• I will note that coverage reduction in premium increases coverage reduction in premium increases um<00
• So a one-time reduction in employee contributions. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Mr. Tan.
• So a one-time reduction in employee contributions. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Mr. Tan.
• </c><00:30:30.159><c> in</c><00:30:31.039><c> um</c> is actually a reduction in um is actually a reduction

Keywords: 1187, senate, all