Video & Transcript Research : 'effective date delay'
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MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/26/26
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- :09:57.600>
soda <00:09:57.960>care effective date, I'm in a soda care effective date, - It adds an effective date to a section relating to chiropractic practice that is meant to take effect
- within the effective date since this section has multiple proposals from various bills.
- to effective date to a section relating to chiropractic<00:19:31.280>
practice <00:19:31.960>< - within the effective change is effective within the effective date<00:21:25.560>
since <00:21:
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- I've read multiple times in the previous couple years that programs have been delayed here in our own
- how often this couple years that programs have been couple years that programs have been delayed<00:
- in government um to have um some delays in government um but<00:22:05.880>
can <00:22:06.000>< - Chair, Senator, I can't speak to there being never any delays in payment from the federal government,
- Chairman, I delayed my comments from earlier, so I actually thought I was at the top of the list.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Select Committee on Pension Policy Jun 16th, 2026
Select Committee on Pension Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I apologize for the delay. But we can hear you. Super. I apologize for the delay.
- And the third one was delay the effective date of a COLA to 2029 or later when funds from the left one
- Last year, did we actually follow the second bullet, which was an act of COLA that takes effect only
- The real question then comes into effect of what happens once 2029, and I think that that's kind of..
- Fast forward, House Bill 2441 was passed and enacted, effective June 11th.
Summary:
The executive committee approved the May minutes by roll call vote, then received an actuarial update from Sarah Baker of the State Actuary’s Office. Baker explained the office’s annual work, including the DRS pension actuarial evaluation, support for state financial reporting, cash flow analysis, a six-year pension contribution outlook, interim support for GIT and WAL CARES, and an upcoming actuarial evaluation of the volunteer firefighters pension plan. She also responded to questions about bills allowing members to transfer into PERS, noting that such transfers have historically increased PERS costs and that any added cost would be borne by PERS members and employers depending on bill structure and affected demographics.
Kate Adams of the Attorney General’s office reported no new developments in the cases the committee is monitoring. She said the Dawson case is still in its early stages, with a judge assigned and a discovery plan due at the end of July. The committee asked for continued updates on that litigation.
The committee then discussed interim work planning, focusing first on animal control officers’ eligibility for PERS and asking staff to continue researching definitions, comparable treatment in nearby states, and the cost and service-credit implications for affected employees. Members also discussed Plan 3 issues, including comparisons of Plan 2 and Plan 3 membership and data, and possible future briefing topics. The largest discussion centered on Plan 1 COLAs: members and retiree representatives debated whether to pursue a permanent COLA or an ad hoc COLA, and whether budget language should require future budget writers to consider a COLA. Retiree groups said they preferred a permanent COLA but were open to further discussion; staff was asked to continue work on possible language and policy options.
The committee reviewed correspondence on four topics: Plan 1 COLA requests, a request to study LEOFF 2-style medical reimbursements for Washington State Patrol survivors, and a request to allow certain members to change survivor option elections after the federal Social Security Fairness Act. The committee agreed to bring the State Patrol medical reimbursement issue and the Social Security Fairness Act issue back for July, with staff to gather more information and provide an informational briefing. The July agenda was approved and includes the OSA annual update, the LEOFF 2 Board annual update, a PERS/TRS Plan 1 ad hoc COLA item, and the two survivor-related topics.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/10/26
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- The program was never effectively analyzed.
- <00:04:21.759>
In <00:04:22.000>effect, rates." Close quote. In effect, rates." - <00:24:51.840>
and This leads to unnecessary delays and This leads to unnecessary delays and - documentation to valid date documentation to valid date reimbursement<00:27:04.480>
for <00 - effects before we try three other meds. effects before we try three other meds.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Families and Children. (2-5-26)
Families & Children
Transcript Highlights:
- So there's a delay in get those done.
- Marriage is and always has been the most effective tool to secure that right.
- <00:15:16.480>
tool always has been the most effective tool always has been the most effective - <00:33:41.440>
What effective for all daycare centers. - What effective for all daycare centers.
Keywords:
00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call
01:13 - Discussion of 26RS HB 109
26:47 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 109
32:30 - Discussion of 26RS HB 190
36:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 190
37:30 - Adjournment, 958, all
Summary:
The House Families and Children Committee met in the 2026 regular session and heard House Bill 109, which would amend Kentucky divorce law to waive the current 60-day waiting period for couples with minor children when the parties have already completed mediation or collaborative family law and are ready to finalize their decree. The bill sponsor, Representative Deetsz, argued the measure would reward families who have already done the work to resolve custody, parenting time, and property issues outside of court, and said it would not affect traditional litigation cases. She also explained that delays can be especially burdensome when retirement-account division requires a QDRO after the decree. Committee members discussed how long collaborative cases typically take, with the sponsor estimating about six months on average and longer in complex cases, and noted that some judges already require parenting classes or allow reconciliation conferences in certain circuits.
David Walls of the Family Foundation testified in opposition, saying the bill would make divorce easier for parents with children and move Kentucky in the wrong direction. He argued waiting periods can encourage reconciliation, protect marriage commitments, and reduce harms to children and public costs associated with family fragmentation. He urged lawmakers to preserve or even lengthen the waiting period rather than eliminate it, and framed the issue as protecting children and strengthening marriage.
During questions, Representative Bojanowski strongly objected to Mr. Walls’ characterization of divorce, saying her own divorce was necessary for her children’s well-being and that the bill simply shortens the process after mediation. Representative Elliott asked about typical timelines in collaborative cases and noted that some courts require parental education. Representative Moser asked whether counseling is required; the sponsor said it is not, though reconciliation conferences may be requested at a judge’s discretion. The transcript ends after discussion of the bill and before any recorded vote or final committee action.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
EEP Public Hearing - Tue Mar 11, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Energy & Environmental Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:19:00.440>
of forward and has the intended effect of forward and has the intended effect - , which is also an unknown effect.
- /c> consistent with our defective date and consistent with our defective date and move<01:40:42.880><
- programs and we will red defect the date programs and we will red defect the date to<01:42:31.719
- The date to July 1st, 3000. And with that, members, any discussion?
Summary:
The committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard testimony on Senate Bill 897, which would create a Wildlife Liability Trust Fund within DCCA for administrative purposes. The chair opened by noting the hearing had to end by noon because of floor session, and that written testimony would be considered if not all witnesses could speak. Testimony included support from DCCA, the Attorney General’s office, the Public Utilities Commission, Charter Communications, Ulupono Initiative, AES Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric, Clearway Energy Group, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Hawaiian Telcom, and IBW Local 1260, with opposition or concerns from the Hawaii Association for Justice and some others. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the bill and asked for amendments, saying the fund would help address wildfire liability, protect customers and the economy, and support restoration of investment-grade credit; it also proposed a larger shareholder contribution and said the bill was part of a broader effort to raise settlement funds and improve grid safety and resiliency.
Committee members focused heavily on whether the bill would actually lower costs for ratepayers and improve credit ratings. DCCA said there was a nexus between limiting liability, creating a sufficiently large wildfire fund, and transparent mitigation requirements, but acknowledged there was no guarantee of a credit-rating improvement or precise estimate of rate impacts. Members questioned Hawaiian Electric about the assumptions in its cost comparisons, the 30-year securitization structure, and whether funding could be shifted later to shareholders after credit was restored. Hawaiian Electric responded that the bill assumes the fund is paid through securitization, that removing that presumption could undermine the credit-rating benefit, and that its models suggest credit-spread savings could offset the customer charge over time; it also said it would follow up with additional analysis. The company and Ulupono both described the measure as a difficult but potentially necessary way to socialize wildfire risk and avoid a larger crisis later.
The Hawaii Association for Justice opposed the bill’s liability caps and raised concerns about consumer rights, oversight discretion, statute-of-limitations changes, and evidence rules. Hawaiian Telcom suggested amendments to clarify compliance with FCC pole-attachment agreements. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and members indicated they wanted more analysis before being comfortable with the bill’s long-term ratepayer impacts.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee May 28th, 2025
Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, I want to understand what the multiplier effects are.
- We've been seeing delays. We've been seeing cancellations and we've also been seeing reductions.
- What do we know about its effectiveness?
- And then lastly, uh, impact date, and that money flows directly to school districts.
- But um, These instrumentalities are gonna have a direct effect also.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
04/13/2026 - House Republican Caucus Calendar #18
Transcript Highlights:
- The Senate amended the bill by adding a delayed effective date of December 1, 2026.
- grandfather in people getting their permit in the six-month window before the bill would have become effective
- of Representatives, House Bill 2032 adjusts the testing window for the statewide assessment and the dates
Summary:
The Republican caucus reviewed several House bills with Senate amendments and discussed whether sponsors would concur or refuse. HB 2003 would lower the minimum age for an instruction permit from 15 and a half to 15 and extend permit validity periods, but the sponsor refused concurrence because the bill did not grandfather in applicants in the transition period, so the measure will go to conference committee. HB 2013, dealing with ADEQ exceptional event demonstrations for large wildfires on federally managed land, had Senate changes narrowing the wildfire threshold and impact criteria; the sponsor was reported to concur. HB 2133, which would require consent verification for online sexual material, drew a refusal from the sponsor due to a circular definition and an unintended entity being included, also prompting further fixes. HB 2226, concerning court inquiry into veteran status and referrals to veterans’ services, and HB 2693, revising bona fide association qualifications and adding a health insurance feasibility study, were both reported as having sponsor concurrence. HB 2032, which changes the statewide assessment testing window and reporting dates, also had sponsor concurrence after the Senate extended the testing window and adjusted the start date restriction.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 03/19/25
Judiciary and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:26:30.719>
and identities without long delays and identities without long delays and costly - <02:09:26.400>
so demonstrate program uh effectiveness so demonstrate program uh effectiveness - <02:25:25.439>
so actually change the report date so actually change the report date so there's - task force examining the effectiveness task force examining the effectiveness of<02:29:25.920>
<02:31:43.439>in minimum sentences are effective in minimum sentences are effective in protecting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/10/26
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- Vaccines are cost-effective.
- vaccines are greater than 90% effective. vaccines are greater than 90% effective.
- Vaccines<00:04:43.840>
are <00:04:44.240>cost-effective. Vaccines are cost-effective. - Vaccines are cost-effective.
- uh, up to date with that. uh, up to date with that.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Health and Human Services Oversight Committee (10/24/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- The letter was dated October 10th.
- um on the letter was dated October 10th. um on the letter was dated October 10th.
- Um, in New Hampshire, we have to date.
- more effectively. more effectively.
- managing ongoing care effectively. managing ongoing care effectively.
Summary:
The committee first approved the draft minutes from September 26. Senator Gray then raised the idea of creating a continuing subcommittee or recurring agenda item on palliative care and hospice, noting that the issues are evolving and suggesting the committee revisit the idea in coming months.
The bulk of the meeting focused on Department of Health and Human Services updates. Officials described contingency planning for SNAP amid the federal shutdown, including a USDA notice that November benefits may not be fully funded, letters to participants warning of possible delays, and coordination with the New Hampshire Food Bank and local pantries. They said New Hampshire serves about 42,000 SNAP households, with average benefits around $300 a month, and that the department is also preparing to transfer funds for a special fiscal committee meeting. WIC was discussed separately: officials said WIC benefits had been extended through November 7 using additional USDA funds, but that some community agency-based WIC services may need to pause while money is redirected to food benefits.
Officials also outlined New Hampshire’s rural health transformation grant application under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill, describing a potential five-year, up-to-$1 billion opportunity focused on critical access hospitals, small rural hospitals, federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, and EMS. Members asked about transportation, workforce, and nursing retention; officials said transportation is included in the proposal, housing is not, and workforce supports may include lower tuition or awards but not loan repayment or traditional scholarships. They also said the final application would be submitted in early November and that priorities would be adjusted depending on the eventual federal award.
Finally, Medicaid director Henry Lipman gave a quarterly postpartum coverage update. He said postpartum coverage is now nearly universal nationwide, and in New Hampshire 2,351 women had used the benefit through May 2025. He reported that mental health services were the most frequently used postpartum service, followed by preventive care, substance use disorder treatment, and cardiovascular-related care, and noted that Medicaid women have experienced a disproportionate share of maternal deaths. Committee members asked about rural distribution and the share of women receiving mental health services, and Lipman said the department would follow up with additional data. The meeting then moved into the annual update on New Hampshire’s 10-year mental health plan, with staff describing progress toward a more integrated continuum of care and improved data infrastructure.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- The failure to collect make-whole orders and other significant delays on pursuing charges and setting
- delay relief or result in the employer closing operations, and then there's not a lot left over.
- So that does also delay our processes.
- I don't have the date here when you folks took that vote on.
- But then the question is, is it being effective?
Summary:
The Senate Rules Committee first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Arthur Krantz to the Public Employment Relations Board and Christopher Ferguson, Brian Haynes, Anna Marie de Mars, and Ronald Fiore to the Student Aid and Student Athletic commissions. The committee also approved references of bills to committees by a 5-0 vote. It then heard testimony from Julia Montgomery, nominated as General Counsel to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, who described her long career serving agricultural workers and said the ALRB’s mission is to protect workers’ rights, support fair bargaining, and ensure access to information and resources.
Questions to Montgomery focused on card-check unionization procedures, signature authenticity, outreach to farmworkers, and enforcement of make-whole orders. Senator Grove raised concerns about workers being pressured or not knowing what they signed, while Montgomery said objections and unfair labor practice charges can be filed and investigated, though the office does not independently verify signatures unless there is an allegation. Senator Reyes pressed on delays in collecting make-whole awards, including the Tri-Fanucchi case; Montgomery said appeals, bankruptcies, and employer closures often delay relief, but the agency seeks settlements and enforcement when possible. The committee voted 3-2 to advance Montgomery’s appointment to the full Senate.
The committee then considered three State Board of Education nominees: Cynthia Glover Woods, Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez. In their testimony, all three emphasized long careers in education, support for students and teachers, and the importance of early learning, community schools, professional development, and aligning instructional materials with standards. Members questioned them about math achievement, the 2023 mathematics framework and Algebra I access, the state’s low national rankings, transitional kindergarten access, and a proposed change to education governance. The nominees said they support flexibility for students ready for Algebra I, believe recent instructional materials and professional learning will help improve outcomes, and had not been involved in governance-structure discussions. Public witnesses from school and child-serving organizations spoke in strong support. The committee then advanced Glover Woods and Gonzalez on 3-1 votes and Lewis on a 4-1 vote for full Senate confirmation.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But even better data will help us ensure the investments are targeted effectively.
- These delays are harmful, inhumane, and costly.
- And I'm not sure effectively, Senator Eckhart.
- What we have to do is become effective with our limited dollars.
- If anything demonstrated that more so was the COVID safe and effective, safe and effective.
Keywords:
SB 500, Texas adoption law, Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child-placing agency, prospective adoptive parents, adoption records, confidential information, nondisclosure agreement, child history report, health history, social history, educational history, genetic history, termination of parental rights, permanency plan, single source continuum contractor, privacy, redaction
Summary:
The committee first took up several pending bills and reported them favorably: SB 968, SB 636 as substituted, SB 1137, and SB 1138 as substituted. Each was advanced by roll call vote, and the committee also recommended the approved bills for the local and uncontested calendar. The chair then moved to the posted agenda and heard SB 719, a mental health bed-capacity study bill by Senator Eckhart, with a committee substitute that refined the data collection to distinguish state and non-state beds, child and adult beds, include two point-in-time counts, and capture jail diversion data.
Testimony on SB 719 was largely supportive from Integral Care, NAMI Texas, and the Children’s Hospital Association of Texas, all of whom said Texas needs better data on inpatient psychiatric capacity, workforce needs, and future demand. Several witnesses described long waits for beds, especially for forensic restoration, and argued the study would help target future investments. Senator Perry and others noted the state has already made major investments in new beds and urged the bill to account for beds already coming online; the committee ultimately withdrew the substitute and left SB 719 pending after public testimony closed.
The committee then heard SB 1864, which would allow small egg producers to sell ungraded eggs more broadly, including to restaurants and retailers, with the substitute increasing the weekly sales threshold and addressing sanitation and labeling. Supporters said grading is about size, not safety, and that the bill would help small farms reach new markets; opponents from the Texas Poultry Federation argued grading and candling help identify cracks and defects that can affect safety and quality. The committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. It also heard SB 1467, requiring DSHS to share death record information with hospitals for record accuracy and quality review, and SB 912, which would modernize continuing education tracking for health licensing agencies; both bills drew supportive testimony and were left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2023, which would create an HHSC grant program to help counties pay for indigent burial costs, with county representatives testifying in support.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- So we need to really update our urban area drainage systems, and there's cost-effective ways to do that
- We're going to test the effects of UV on it.
- As Assistant Secretary Holland referenced, MPOs date back to 1973.
- Slight delay, but thank you for having me. Thank you, Chair. Thank you.
- And so there is this holistic, you know, effect. its metrics as well.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Transportation met to hear presentations from the Florida Department of Transportation on rural arterial roadways and transportation resiliency, followed by a panel discussion on metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). FDOT’s Will Watts described the state’s growing population and travel demand, emphasizing that rural arterials are critical for connectivity, freight movement, evacuation routes, and congestion relief. He outlined FDOT’s project selection factors, noted thousands of identified rural arterial needs with billions in unfunded demand, and explained that the department uses community input and long-range planning to prioritize safety, capacity, and economic development.
Watts then discussed resiliency planning for hurricanes and flooding, focusing on structural design, storm readiness, and drainage. He highlighted efforts such as elevated bridges, wave attenuators, coastal armoring, drainage upgrades, and materials testing at FDOT’s research facilities to extend service life and reduce storm damage. Committee members asked about local project selection, materials research, LiDAR use, and legislative support; Watts said local coordination drives project priorities and asked lawmakers to protect the Transportation Trust Fund.
The MPO panel, led by FDOT’s Kim Holland, explained that MPOs are federally required in urban areas over 50,000 population and that Florida has 27, the most in the nation. Holland said MPOs identify and prioritize transportation needs through long-range plans and public engagement, and she noted that several regions are exploring consolidation after the 2020 Census, especially in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. Representatives from MetroPlan Orlando, Forward Pinellas, Pasco MPO, and Hillsborough discussed their structures and the potential benefits and challenges of merging, including representation, governance, funding, and maintaining local voice. Members generally supported regional collaboration, urged patience as studies continue, and emphasized the need for transparent public engagement, while the committee adjourned after no further business.
UT
Utah 2025 Regular Session
Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee - November 19, 2025
Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Limited and effective... Limited and effective government.
- And with some of those delays, some of the employers will receive those tax rates late.
- It's simply a little bit delayed. Okay. Thank you very much.
- It's simply a little bit delayed. Okay, thank you very much.
- We'll tell you about a date for a reception later at the end of this presentation.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- and costly project changes and delays and costly project changes and delays and<00:10:44.560>
- effect January 1st, except that section 6 shall take effect on December 31st, 2026.
- when we looked at the dates when we looked at the dates uh<00:39:59.760>
if <00:40:00.000>you - the implementation dates. the implementation dates.
- 6 shall take effect December 31st, 2026. 6 shall take effect December 31st, 2026.
Keywords:
Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, state funding, public performances, educational programs, cultural arts funding, historic properties, preservation, inheritance, working group, public-private partnerships, sustainable funding, historic preservation, Hawaii Revised Statutes, construction, state review, burial sites, cultural artifacts, development review, phased review, administrative fees
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 2603, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state orchestra of Hawaii. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the Attorney General’s office, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association, and others. Supporters emphasized the bill’s value to arts education, cultural vitality, and the visitor economy. The chair noted there were also many written testimonies submitted, and the bill was left without questions or action in the excerpt.
The committee then took up Senate Bill 2083, which would create a state-owned historic properties preservation plan working group within DNR. The State Historic Preservation Division supported the bill and said it would help create a statewide database and better planning for state-owned historic properties, while noting its current review work is reactive and project-by-project. The committee asked about duplication and existing consultation processes; SHPD said it already reviews state projects under existing law and has in-house architectural staff. The measure was then set aside after brief discussion, with no vote shown in the excerpt.
Next was Senate Bill 2341, which would authorize phased review of certain private-property projects and change SHPD’s review deadlines. SHPD and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the bill, saying it could encourage more proactive, programmatic review and that the current average review time for simple projects is about 56 days. Several opponents, including Sierra Club of Hawaii, Bianca Isaki, Malama Kane Lua, and Tara Roas, argued phased review would delay projects, create conflict, and weaken historic preservation protections, especially for iwi kūpuna and burial sites. Committee members raised concerns about whether the bill conflicted with prior court decisions and asked SHPD for its view; SHPD said it was not a legal question for them and suggested a programmatic alternative. The bill was not voted on in the excerpt.
Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 2306 on administrative fees for the Bureau of Conveyances. HGEA opposed the measure, focusing on a provision allowing the special fund to be used for qualified contractors, while the Bureau of Conveyances supported the bill as a fee correction that would equalize recording fees between systems. The bureau said specialized technical work sometimes requires outside contracting and that it could consider a contract period; the chair and members discussed the HGEA concern and asked whether the issue could be addressed. No final action was shown in the excerpt.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:28:17.440>
only research show is shows is effective only research show is shows is effective - <01:39:40.639>
Workforce a more inclusive and effective Workforce a more inclusive and effective - people of our state deserve effective people of our state deserve effective treatment<01:40:14.920
- <01:47:01.159>
and towards reducing harmful delays and towards reducing harmful delays and - in getting approval for HSS that delays in getting approval for HSS that delay<01:47:14.520>
is
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- Section 4, the effective date.
- Section four, just the effective date, effective upon passage.
- Section four, just the effective date, effective upon passage.
- The act would take effective dates.
- Section eight is the effective date.
Summary:
The House began with routine business, including referral of Senate Bill 211 on motor vehicle inspections to the Transportation Committee and Senate Bill 298 creating the Vermont Voting Rights Act to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs. The chamber also referred House bills reported by Ways and Means to Appropriations, including H. 211 on data brokers and personal information and H. 931 on miscellaneous education law changes. JRH9, a joint resolution urging the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to reconsider its opposition to rapid prompting method communication instruction for students with apraxia of speech or autism, was read and referred to Human Services.
Several announcements followed, including a welcome to members of the Vermont chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, a reminder about an education reform meeting, and a correction regarding a prior reference to S. 138 of 2023 and the working group on student protections from harassment and discrimination in schools. The House also recognized guests in the gallery, including Donnie Kanovsky, who was described as a proponent of JRH9. The Speaker announced that H. 606 on firearms procedures, H. 642 on youthful offender proceedings, and later H. 585 would be bumped to later in the calendar.
The House then took up H. 537, the right to grow vegetable gardens. The committee explained the bill would protect vegetable gardening in common interest communities and rental housing, while allowing reasonable restrictions and landlord or association oversight; witnesses included a South Burlington resident, HOA and landlord representatives, and legislative counsel. The committee reported an 8-0-0 vote, the House adopted the committee amendment, and ordered third reading. The chamber then passed H. 171 on Attorney General investigations into a law enforcement officer’s use of a firearm and H. 519 allowing Randolph police officers to enroll in Group C of the state retirement system.
The House also passed H. 536 on toxic heavy metals in baby food products after extended debate over whether infant formula should be included. Supporters said the bill would help parents make informed choices and noted the amendment was intended to align with federal action; opponents argued formula-specific federal work was still underway and urged waiting. The chamber then passed H. 550 on gender equity in correctional facilities, H. 733 on franchise agreements, H. 775 on housing production tools, H. 887 on crime victim status under the Fair Employment Practices Act, H. 917 on military affairs, and H. 921 on alcoholic beverages. Action on H. 930 addressing chronic absenteeism was postponed one legislative day, and H. 942 on miscellaneous agricultural subjects began second reading with the committee outlining sections on water quality training, non-sewage waste management, and unit pricing.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
CPC Public Hearing - Thu Feb 26, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Consumer Protection & Commerce
Transcript Highlights:
- date or time is. date or time is.
- We are amendable to the delay in the effective date for section 3 to become January 1, 2027.
- ><00:52:24.400>
effective <00:52:24.880>date <00:52:25.119>for the delay in the - effective date for the delay in the effective date for section<00:52:26.000>
3 <00:52:26.800>- :27.679>
are Currently, effective teachers who are Currently, effective teachers who are actively - :27.679>
Bills:
HB1946, HB1515, HB1514, HB1648, HB1644, HB1619, HB1571, HB1810, HB2475, HB1645, HB2301, HB1889, HB1840
Keywords:
time shares, registration, renewal, real estate, Hawaii, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, workers' compensation, functional capacity examination, occupational therapy, physical therapy, employer responsibilities, injured workers, medical stabilization, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, healthcare providers
Summary:
The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 26, 2026, and heard several bills, mostly in the areas of workers’ compensation and consumer protection. HB 1946 HD1 on timeshare registration renewal drew support from DCCA’s timeshare program and major industry groups including Hilton Grand Vacations, the American Resort Development Association, and Marriott Vacations Worldwide, with no opposition noted. HB 1515 HD1, which would allow an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination without employer permission, was supported by DLIR and the Department of Human Resources Development and had no other in-person testimony; the bill was then moved on without questions.
The committee spent substantial time on HB 1514 HD1, which would streamline workers’ compensation vocational rehabilitation by clarifying provider selection and requiring vocational plans within 90 days. DLIR supported the intent but asked for amendments, saying the 90-day deadline was too rigid given case-by-case complexity, limited staffing, and the need for coordination among injured workers, employers, and counselors; members discussed possible extensions and whether a 120-day timeline or other flexibility would be better. Testimony on the bill included one individual in support and seven in opposition.
HB 1648 HD1, concerning workers’ compensation and physician dispensing of non-prescription drugs, drew support from DHRD and comments from DLIR and industry witnesses. DLIR said the bill should be narrowed so it does not restrict medically necessary over-the-counter medications or oral guidance from providers, while Aloha Billing Company and Solera Integrated Medical Solutions urged tighter limits on physician dispensing and raised concerns about pricing abuse through average wholesale price. Members discussed clarifying the bill’s language so it targets written prescriptions rather than oral advice. HB 1644 HD1, requiring a standardized disclosure form for residential solar contracts, received support from the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative, while DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection supported the consumer-protection goal but proposed stronger remedies, including a three-day cancellation right, voidability for missing disclosures, and possible lender liability; members questioned how those remedies should apply to lenders, and no vote was taken on the measures in the portion provided.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Standards or bureaucratic delay.
- This delay tactic.
- I apologize for the delay.
- date to September 1st, 2026.
- Proximate cause relevance, effectively.
Bills:
HB4011, HB2680, HB4325, HB4327, HB4944, HB1761, HB4688, HB3453, HB40, HB1707, HB4749, HB2322, HB3647, HB4139, HB4081, HB2203, HB2100, HB4170, HB3104, HB4623, HB40
Keywords:
partition, heirs' property, real estate, co-ownership, family property, non-heir cotenant, right of first refusal, pilot services, liability limitation, maritime commerce, Matagorda Bay, Lavaca Bay, transportation code, maritime industry, civil liability, barratry, penalties, legal actions, damages, wrongful death