Bills: SB2256, SB2053, SB2090, SB2169, SB2245, SB2519, SB2765, SB3055, SB3102, SB3118, SB3144, SB3248, HCR43, HCR69, HCR188, HB2300, HB1605, HB2094, HB1166, HB1970, HB1969, HB2050, HB2165, HB2271, HB2338, HB2339, HB1972, HB2208, HB2310, HB1801, HB2498, HB2443, HB1976, HB2246, HB2319, HB1541, HB2606, HB2343, HB1853, HB1840, HB1785, HB1952, HB2551, HB2171, HB1661, HB1802, HB1663, HB1838, HB1960, HB1815, HB2599, HB1769, HB2315, HB1860, HB1891, HB2104, HB2158, HB389, HB1510, HB2089, HB2090, HB2099, HB1516, HB1548, HB1481, HB2452, HB2329, HB2275, HB1658, HB2272, HB2273, HB2276, HB2335, HB1656, HB2207, HB2289, HB1854, HB2581, HB20, HB2296, HB1707, HB2297, HB1890, HB2241, HB2474, HB1740, HB2472, HB1688, HB2345, HB2546, HB1574, HB1546, HB2218, HB1163, HB1523, HB2021, HB1524, HB2020

Keywords: Brother Joseph Dutton, Kalaupapa, historic recognition, observance, Hawaii history, salvage vehicles, vehicle title transfer, electronic signatures, insurance, administrative efficiency, child custody, mental health, evaluations, licensed counselors, family court, SB2245, Hawaii ethics, revolving door, state employee ethics, cooling-off period

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just blind, but uh I was contacted by other reps who also searched for those reports and could not
• I'm just blind,<00:17:01.600> but<00:17:02.079> uh<00:17:02.240> I<00:17:02.480>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Housing Committee opened with a public hearing on HB 196, which would repeal the Housing Champion program. Representative Matt Drew, the prime sponsor, argued the program is an unnecessary and poorly targeted subsidy, saying it rewards municipalities after projects are completed and may not be limited to new housing production. He questioned the transparency of the program, cited difficulty finding required annual reports, and noted a fiscal note suggesting the state could recover up to $3 million if obligations are terminated. Committee members and witnesses debated whether the program’s criteria amount to political favoritism or a standard grant process; supporters said the rubric is specific and that municipalities are evaluated against objective requirements. Representative Priest, Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire, and Karen Benfield of Stay Work Play New Hampshire all opposed repeal, saying the program encourages local zoning and regulatory changes, helps smaller communities participate, and supports housing supply and young people’s ability to stay in the state. The hearing on HB 196 was then closed. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 1405, a bill establishing an affordable housing guarantee program within the Housing Finance Authority. Prime sponsor Representative Chris Muns said the bill would reduce lender risk by guaranteeing up to 80% of principal on qualifying loans for affordable housing, with a cap of $30 million per lender per year and $300 million outstanding at any time. He described the measure as a low-cost public-private partnership backed by the full faith and credit of the state, and said it was identical to a prior Senate bill that had received unanimous bipartisan committee support before dying later in the process. He framed the bill as one part of a broader housing package aimed at financing, infrastructure, workforce, zoning reform, and other housing-related issues. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided. The only formal actions were opening and closing the public hearing on HB 196 and opening the public hearing on HB 1405, with testimony continuing on HB 1405 at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• into these, um, organizations and all of that that would have been hard against this are turning a blind
• Representative Penza continued: They have been turning a blind eye because they're taking in millions

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Allowing this authority to expire would leave the United States blind to threats that move at the speed

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• after an aggressive reshaping of the federal government's real estate portfolio, Congress is flying blind

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I think we're just blind to the fact that there's a problem with this gun.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's still not a blind throw.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, and thank you, Representative Blind, for being here and talking to us.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee’s higher education subcommittee met to discuss HB 443, HB 510, and related issues. The chair explained the subcommittee membership and noted that Representative Luno was absent and replaced by Representative Bricky, with other full committee members allowed to participate in discussion but not final votes. No votes were taken during this meeting, and the chair said final subcommittee recommendations would likely come in the first week of November. On HB 443, which concerns terms of appointment to the Higher Education Commission, the chair described the bill as intended to let the governor replace members who are not attending or no longer representing the appointing organization. He said the prior governor supported the idea, but the current governor’s office believes the bill is unnecessary because nonattendance or loss of representation would already amount to resignation or removal. Members raised questions about legal authority and whether the same principle should apply to other boards. The chair said he was leaning toward finding the bill not needed, but would continue discussion later. The committee then spent most of the meeting on HB 510, which would establish due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty at public higher education institutions and address collective bargaining issues. Supporters, including Representatives Papovich and Brown, argued the bill would provide clear, minimum protections, especially because campus rules are lengthy and vary by institution; Brown also suggested adding an independent ombudsman or representation for students. Opponents, including Representatives Burton and Bricky, said existing campus regulations already provide due process and that the bill could interfere with campus governance and collective bargaining. The chair and others discussed whether the bill’s definitions should be aligned with existing law to avoid confusion, and several members suggested using existing statutory definitions or cross-references. The chair also said the bill would apply only when disciplinary action is involved, not as a general challenge to DEI policies, though members referenced recent national examples involving DEI-related disputes as context.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm blind. 506. Awesome. Thank you. This building is unacceptable.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• represent them, not to give billionaires and corporate profiteers free rein to rob working families blind

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You've turned a blind eye to women and girls for the last 15 years.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 10, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sign and not the stop sign, especially on country roads where it's sharp corners and, uh, and often blind

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Bills: HB389, HB1166, HB1510, HB1541, HB1605, HB1661, HB1663, HB1678, HB1769, HB1785, HB1801, HB1802, HB1815, HB1824, HB1838, HB1840, HB1853, HB1860, HB1891, HB1952, HB1960, HB1969, HB1970, HB1972, HB1976, HB2050, HB2094, HB2104, HB2158, HB2165, HB2171, HB2208, HB2246, HB2271, HB2300, HB2310, HB2315, HB2319, HB2338, HB2339, HB2343, HB2443, HB2498, HB2551, HB2599, HB2606, SB17, SB83, SB99, SB148, SB411, SB709, SB847, SB874, SB888, SB1032, SB1166, SB2001, SB2014, SB2031, SB2041, SB2050, SB2057, SB2061, SB2074, SB2075, SB2089, SB2095, SB2101, SB2102, SB2108, SB2109, SB2110, SB2125, SB2135, SB2138, SB2140, SB2146, SB2151, SB2152, SB2175, SB2203, SB2239, SB2246, SB2247, SB2253, SB2261, SB2268, SB2271, SB2272, SB2320, SB2340, SB2347, SB2353, SB2363, SB2367, SB2372, SB2376, SB2386

Keywords: HB389, uncrewed aircraft, drone, drones, UAS, unmanned aerial vehicle, misuse of uncrewed aircraft, criminal offense, felony enhancement, drone crime, public safety, police, deputy sheriff, fire department, intoxicated operation, registration number tampering, property damage, bodily injury, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package, Hawaii Revised Statutes

Bills: HB389, HB1166, HB1510, HB1541, HB1605, HB1661, HB1663, HB1678, HB1769, HB1785, HB1801, HB1802, HB1815, HB1824, HB1838, HB1840, HB1853, HB1860, HB1891, HB1952, HB1960, HB1969, HB1970, HB1972, HB1976, HB2050, HB2094, HB2104, HB2158, HB2165, HB2171, HB2208, HB2246, HB2271, HB2300, HB2310, HB2315, HB2319, HB2338, HB2339, HB2343, HB2443, HB2498, HB2551, HB2599, HB2606, SB17, SB83, SB99, SB148, SB411, SB709, SB847, SB874, SB888, SB1032, SB1166, SB2001, SB2014, SB2031, SB2041, SB2050, SB2057, SB2061, SB2074, SB2075, SB2089, SB2095, SB2101, SB2102, SB2108, SB2109, SB2110, SB2125, SB2135, SB2138, SB2140, SB2146, SB2151, SB2152, SB2175, SB2203, SB2239, SB2246, SB2247, SB2253, SB2261, SB2268, SB2271, SB2272, SB2320, SB2340, SB2347, SB2353, SB2363, SB2367, SB2372, SB2376, SB2386

Keywords: HB389, uncrewed aircraft, drone, drones, UAS, unmanned aerial vehicle, misuse of uncrewed aircraft, criminal offense, felony enhancement, drone crime, public safety, police, deputy sheriff, fire department, intoxicated operation, registration number tampering, property damage, bodily injury, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package, Hawaii Revised Statutes

Transcript Highlights:

• Advocates like the Blinded Veterans Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Disabled American

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, May 19, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• seen the precedent of medical professionals illegally denying health care and watch the DHS turn a blind

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm blind in one eye. Can't see out of the other. That's what I tell my husband.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><01:06:14.640> line Representative Cordelli continued: starting on line 28, “functionally blind

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first noted that House Bill 398, concerning Holocaust and genocide studies, and House Bill 131 had already been handled previously and were off the schedule. It then took up House Bill 740, which would require the Department of Education to maintain permanent records for closed charter schools. After brief discussion about overlap with another charter-school bill that already addressed closure and records, Representative Freeman moved to table the bill. The committee voted 16-0 to table/ITL the bill, and it was placed on the consent calendar. The main discussion centered on House Bill 557, which would require additional information on school budget ballots, including average cost per pupil, enrollment history, and teacher-to-administrator ratios. Members raised concerns that the bill was duplicative of existing law, overly detailed, costly to towns, and potentially electioneering or cumbersome on ballots. Supporters argued it would improve transparency and help voters who do not attend deliberative sessions or use online resources. The committee did not vote on the bill during the discussion; instead, members moved into caucus and later indicated they would hold the bill until Monday for further review. Later, the committee turned to House Bill 699 on special education definitions and considered Amendment 0606H. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed with the Department of Education after hearing testimony and was intended to align state definitions with federal law and incorporate recommendations from a prior audit, including changing “functionally blind pupils” to “students with visual impairments.” Some members supported the changes as responsive to the hearing and audit, while others objected that the amendment was still confusing, had not fully addressed stakeholder concerns, and should wait for a more comprehensive special education audit. The discussion also referenced House Bill 754 and another amendment, but the transcript ends before final action on HB 699 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Bogert, okay, I must have a blind spot.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented its capital budget process and priorities, explaining that it maintains and operates 96 state buildings and uses annual facility walkthroughs, condition assessments, and rough cost estimates to rank projects for the governor’s capital budget. Officials described how requests are triaged, how the governor’s office and Public Works refine estimates, and how the resulting capital budget book serves as legislative intent for approved projects. They also noted that this year the governor’s office asked for estimates on all selected projects, which increased workload but reduced detail. The department highlighted several requested projects, including $1.5 million for the ERP system sustainability fund, which officials said is critical because the state is upgrading its core financial, HR, and budget system to the cloud. Other priorities included courthouse HVAC and boiler work, brick repointing at the State House annex/main building, window replacement at the Spalding building, and elevator replacement on the hospital campus. Officials also said the governor’s proposed capital budget included fewer DAS projects than in past years and asked the committee to consider funding closer to historic levels. The committee then reviewed lapse and reallocation items. DAS said most older projects are still in design, bid, or construction because projects now take four to six years rather than two to three, in part due to ARPA-related workload and post-COVID construction backlogs. Members discussed lapsing $81,000 from the completed Spalding roof project and redirecting small remaining balances from several 2019 projects toward the Hillsboro County South cell block project through the Capital Project Overview Committee. Officials also confirmed ARPA-funded projects are expected to be completed before the December 2026 deadline and explained that the ERP system is the main state IT exception outside DOIT’s usual centralized control, though it still requires DOIT consultation and approval.

Transcript Highlights:

• At just 16 years old, Sydney accomplished what so many dream of: a four-chair turn at her blind audition

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 1012, house, all