Transcript Highlights:

• public works director of Pasco, Rosco Slade, public works director of West Richland, and John Cowling
• Roscoe Slade, public works director of West Richland, and John Cowling, the public works director of
• So again, that goes with the complete streets.
• At the same time, Pasco is working on a Sylvester Street overpass... ...working on a Sylvester Street
• I don't know how to build a street any different.

Committee: Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 990 supports both public safety and public health.
• for All, and Streets Are for Everyone.
• Mark Fooksevich on behalf of Streets for All.
• Streets for All.
• They're a serious public safety issue.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a long agenda of transportation-related bills, with several district-specific measures and statewide policy proposals. Early in the hearing, SB 1408 by Senator Arreguín would authorize Contra Costa County to place a new countywide transportation sales tax measure on the ballot to continue funding highways, local roads, transit, biking and walking infrastructure, and paratransit. Supporters said it would preserve funding continuity for major projects; CalTax opposed it over affordability and sales tax burden concerns. Senators discussed that the bill would only place the measure before voters, not enact the tax itself, and a motion was made, but no vote could be taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee also heard SB 990, a rural signage bill for Ridgecrest along Highway 395, which would allow Caltrans business-logo signs to direct travelers to lodging, food, fuel, medical services, and other amenities. The author and local witnesses framed it as a safety and economic development measure for an isolated community; there was no opposition. SB 1167, authored by Senator Blakespear, would tighten consumer protections in the e-bike market by distinguishing legal e-bikes from higher-powered e-motos, requiring clearer labeling and disclosures, and improving incident reporting. It drew broad support from bicycle, medical, local government, auto club, and safety groups, with no opposition. SB 1034 by Senator McNerney would make it easier for disabled veterans rated permanently and totally disabled by the VA to obtain disabled parking placards, aligning state procedures with federal disability determinations; veterans groups strongly supported it and no opposition was heard. The committee then heard SB 1279, which would add Long Beach’s Pacific Coast Highway corridor to the city’s existing speed safety camera pilot. Supporters said PCH accounts for a disproportionate share of fatalities and crashes, especially involving pedestrians, while opponents from the highway patrol and business groups said the issue should be handled under existing or upcoming rules. The California Highway Patrol Association later moved to neutral after discussions about amendments. Finally, the chair presented SB 1177, to require the High-Speed Rail Project Update report to continue including additional information such as revenue options and comparative project history, and SB 1246, a bill to impose stronger remote-operations, response-time, training, reporting, and manual override requirements on autonomous vehicle operators. SB 1177 drew support from the U.S. High-Speed Rail Association and opposition from the City of Burbank, while SB 1246 drew strong support from firefighters, labor, and many drivers and cyclists, but opposition from the AV industry, Chamber of Commerce groups, and a retired CHP official who argued the bill was too prescriptive and conflicted with new DMV rules. Members debated safety, data reporting, first responder access, and whether the bill should wait for rulemaking; the hearing ended with motions and discussion, but the transcript does not show final votes being taken on these measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it the number of people we've gotten off the street into temporary housing?
• But the fact of the matter is, as long as there are encampments in public.
• It's not permissible to sleep on our city street, if we have a shelter bed available.
• as quickly and swiftly as possible get off of the streets for their own well-being.
• of downtown Los Angeles, and encampments overtake the streets.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
• Public testimony is... ...open.
• They target these public pensions. Why?
• This contradicts BlackRock's public statements.
• Fink and to State Street.

Bills: SB312 , SB945 , SB946 , SB1367 , SB1861 , SB2044 , SB2337 , SB2403 , SB2819 , SJR54

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Cash restricted for street purposes showed that over $19,000 was transferred from the street fund to
• The bank statements of the general, street, and public safety funds were not properly reconciled in noncompliance
• paid the street back in full.
• 26th to 26, they paid the street back in full.
• Well, they at least paid off the street debt.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee approved the prior minutes and then received a series of audit and compliance updates. Staff reported on delinquent private water and sewer reports, delinquent 2013-2023 water reports, and several municipal accounting code noncompliance cases. Denning and Gum Springs were recommended to be removed from the 60-day clock after staff visits showed improved records, while Fargo, Lead Hill, Almy, Jericho, Haynes, Biggers, Gilmore, and Holly Grove were discussed for repeat findings involving missing audits, poor bookkeeping, unpaid or misapplied street funds, deficit balances, and other accounting deficiencies. Several of these entities were given additional time or had reports filed without objection, while others were deferred for later review. Fargo’s mayor said the town had been understaffed and was working to improve its accounting systems; the committee voted to defer the matter to the August meeting. Lead Hill’s mayor described efforts to complete overdue water audits and improve office procedures, and the committee also postponed action for 60 days. Almy’s mayor and recorder-treasurer were present, and the committee placed the town on the 60-day clock for repeat accounting issues. Biggers and Gilmore both acknowledged long-running audit problems and said they were working with auditors and the IRS; their reports were filed. Holly Grove’s treasurer said she had only recently taken the position, and that report was filed as well. The committee spent considerable time on the street-fund misuse cases for Jericho and Haynes. Jericho was found to have exceeded the statutory threshold tied to fines and costs, with staff noting the town had since become current on its repayment plan; the committee deferred the report to September. Haynes was also behind on its repayment plan for street funds, with staff saying the town had recently made up the shortfall and was current as of the meeting, but the committee still deferred the report to September. Members and staff also discussed how the speed-trap law is applied, whether certain fines and costs count toward the threshold, and the role of the prosecuting attorney in deciding whether to take further action. The committee then reviewed a special report on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District, which had six findings involving board approval of payroll and contracts, credit card documentation, vehicle and cell phone use, competitive bidding, electronic funds controls, and unusually high advertising spending. District Director Craig Douglas said the board had delegated some authority, that receipts were missing during a temporary staffing gap, and that advertising was needed to educate the public; he also defended the sale of trailers and other equipment as a way to exit the trailer business. Several members questioned the explanations and the low resale value of equipment, but the committee ultimately deferred the report to September. The meeting also included a recognition of accounting students interning with audit staff and a final set of actions on deferred water and sewer reports: 11 were filed, seven were deferred for lack of proper responses, and a private report on Shannon Hills Water, Sewer, and Fire Department was noted as involving misappropriation by an office manager and inadequate internal controls.

Transcript Highlights:

• A call came in that there was a robbery at Libby's Pharmacy on the corner of Grant Street and Queen Street
• The perpetrator continued up the street. My uncle, Christos Ruses, was dead on the street.
• Everybody turned out on the street to show their respect.
• Everybody turned out on the street to show their respect.
• Everybody turned out on the street to show their respect.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on 31 bills covering driver privacy and data, distinctive license plates, public awareness signage, railroad safety, superload permitting, TNC/delivery data reporting, and MBTA safety measures. Chairs Jim Arciero and Brendan Crighton outlined the hearing process, and the committee heard testimony from state officials, advocates, family members of fallen officers and firefighters, transportation industry representatives, civil liberties groups, and others. No votes were taken during the hearing itself, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn. Several speakers supported bills creating a Blue Star Family license plate to honor families of fallen law enforcement officers, and a separate motorcycle plate for fallen firefighters. Colonel Jeffrey Noble and others from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and law enforcement groups said the plates would complement existing memorial practices and provide a lasting public tribute. Family members of officers killed in the line of duty gave emotional testimony in support, and Representative Steve Ultrino and Paul Jakes backed the firefighter memorial motorcycle plate as revenue-neutral, with proceeds supporting the fallen firefighter memorial. The committee also heard testimony on transportation policy and safety bills. Industry witnesses urged modernization of Massachusetts superload permitting rules, saying current requirements are slower and more expensive than neighboring states and delay public projects. Advocates supported a human trafficking awareness bill requiring hotline signage in transit facilities, a driver privacy bill limiting automatic license plate reader data retention and sharing, and a bill requiring two-person crews on freight trains and other railroad safety measures such as hotbox detectors and transportation for railroad employees. Senator John Keenan also testified for expanded naloxone availability in MBTA stations and said the MBTA had not fully complied with prior legislative directives.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:02.360><c> Works</c> Chad ubel and director of Public Works Chad ubel and director of Public
• </c><00:32:07.559><c> additional</c> system plushing and streets additional system plushing and streets
• </c> member Amanda Karens Justin trom Public member Amanda Karens Justin trom Public Works<01:19:08.760
• Yep, we would appreciate any support we can get. amount of uh public lands and public amount of uh public
• We could use it for street sweeping.

Bills: HF220 , HF230 , HF240 , HF241 , HF295 , HF429 , HF490 , HF505 , HF574 , HF576 , HF581 , HF865 , HF918 , HF1085 , HF1449 , HF1452 , HF1454 , HF602

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:47.799><c> Parking</c> buffer zones for de B Street Parking buffer zones for de B Street Parking
• </c> Department of Health as public Department of Health as public health<00:38:26.240><c> thank</c><
• </c> Constitutional basis for using public Constitutional basis for using public funds<00:46:12.960><
• </c><00:51:30.000><c> input</c> enforcement feedback and public input enforcement feedback and public
• </c><01:01:06.359><c> safety</c> mayor to opt out for public safety mayor to opt out for public safety

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on March 18, 2025, to hear several measures and later take up amendments and votes. Early items included a budget measure to increase the mass transit special fund expenditure ceiling, a bill extending lapse dates for drug and alcohol toxicology testing laboratory funds, and a measure creating buffer zones for parking near crosswalks and intersections. Testimony on the crosswalk-parking bill was broadly supportive from transportation, law enforcement, planning, bicycling, public health, and advocacy groups, with the Department of Health emphasizing visibility and roadway safety. The committee also heard a bill establishing the Mokai air carrier subsidy program for Molokaʻi, which drew support from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and comments from the Department of Transportation. The committee then heard SB 106 on pedestrian rules, which generated mixed testimony: the Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Workers Center, and the Department of Health supported it, while the Honolulu Police Department and Kīpuka Injury Prevention Coalition opposed it. Supporters argued the bill would reduce inequitable jaywalking enforcement and reflect a broader safety culture; opponents warned it could create confusion and risk. Members also discussed whether the bill would affect other traffic-code provisions and asked about crash data in other jurisdictions; the Department of Health said crashes had not increased in other places and cited California data showing decreased crashes and fatalities. In decision-making, the committee voted to pass SB 934 SD2 with amendments, with Representative Miyake reserving and Representative Cochran excused. It then passed SB 1526 SD2 with amendments. SB 1195 SD1 was also passed with amendments after the chair proposed adding language tying fines for illegal parking near crosswalks and intersections to the Safe Routes to School special fund and establishing a fine range of $100 to $500 per violation, with collected fines dedicated to pedestrian safety improvements. Members voiced support for the dedicated revenue source and community safety rationale. The committee next passed SB 1638 SD2 with amendments to strengthen the constitutional/public-purpose findings for subsidizing air carriers serving Molokaʻi and to add annual audit requirements and penalties for misuse of funds. The amended findings emphasized that affordable air service is essential for health care, employment, education, and overall well-being in remote island communities, and that the subsidy program is intended to improve access and competition while lowering costs for residents. The chair then recessed the meeting after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Francisco Public Defender's Office.
• Francisco Public Defenders Office.
• She was released to the streets in June 2025 and continues to be caught in the revolving doors of streets
• She was released to the streets in June 2025 and continues to be caught in the revolving doors of streets
• Margo, George, with the California Public Defenders Association and also for the San Francisco Public

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to public safety, juvenile justice, criminal procedure, and human trafficking. SB 1157 by Sen. Archuleta would create a framework for less restrictive juvenile placements in probation settings, with Judicial Council rules on issues such as insurance, staffing, background checks, notice to local governments, and zoning. Supporters, including county probation and local government representatives, said the bill would add needed oversight and safety standards; opponents argued it would impose rigid standards on a diverse continuum of community-based placements and that the Judicial Council was not the right body to set substantive program rules. The bill was discussed but no vote was taken at that point due to quorum issues. SB 1012 by Sen. Smallwood-Cuevas, the Fire Camp to Career Act, would connect incarcerated fire camp participants to state-approved apprenticeships and require apprenticeship programs to consider their prior training and experience. The author and supporters from labor, fire training, and formerly incarcerated workers described it as a fair pathway to stable careers and a way to recognize skills gained in conservation camps. Committee members generally supported the concept, with one member noting that certification should still require demonstrated competence. The bill was moved forward after discussion. SB 1306 by Sen. Cortese would align state law with federal exemptions for certain low-concentration GBL chemical mixtures used in semiconductor manufacturing and research, while leaving rules for pure GBL unchanged. Supporters said the bill would reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and help keep semiconductor work in California; there was no opposition testimony, and members described it as a practical measure. SB 1401 by Sen. Stern would align felony incompetent-to-stand-trial procedures with existing misdemeanor rules, including timelines, information-sharing, and conservatorship referral provisions. Supporters said it would improve treatment pathways and prevent people from being released without care, while opponents warned it would expand court control, weaken confidentiality, and reduce due process protections. The committee approved SB 1401 on a do-pass motion to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1027 by Sen. Strickland, which was amended to create a task force to study street prostitution, human trafficking, victim services, and related community impacts. Local officials and law enforcement supported the bill as a data-driven way to address trafficking and neighborhood harms, while some advocacy groups remained opposed to the bill as introduced and wanted to review the amendments. After discussion, the committee passed it as amended to the Governmental Organization Committee. Later, SB 1307 by Sen. Jones, dealing with fraudulent or forged real estate documents and clouded titles, was amended to focus on voiding false instruments in criminal cases; supporters said it would help victims clear title more quickly, and the bill was moved forward on a do-pass motion to the floor. The committee also heard the beginning of SB 1276 by Sen. Rubio, which would clarify that viewing live-streamed or AI-generated child sexual exploitation content is a crime; the author said it closes a loophole created by new technology, and supportive testimony began from child exploitation prosecutors and treatment specialists.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if a water system has a public water system number, they are eligible whether they are public or private
• One last question: So you're saying that our public school systems, are the public school systems accessing
• It's just a teeny tiny little street.
• It is called McAdoo Street, and everybody in town is now calling it McAdone Street.
• That street—and in order for them to film that movie, the street had to stay the same.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> works</c> uh public sibly county public works uh public sibly county public works director<00:09:
• And what was identified was actually looking at reconstructing City Street, 13th Street, which is way
• And there's a city street called<00:09:50.399><c> Melrose</c><00:09:50.959><c> Street,</c><00:09:51.279
• ,</c><00:10:18.160><c> 13th</c> reconstructing uh City Street, 13th reconstructing uh City Street, 13th
• So, what traffic at Melrose Street.

Bills: HF1569 , HF460 , HF850 , HF707 , HF798 , HF852 , HF366 , HF365 , HF836 , HF866 , HF885 , HF959 , HF1196 , HF1788 , HF1349 , HF2272 , HF2652 , HF1251 , HF607

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Cash receipts for street purposes totaled over $19,000 that was transferred to the street fund in 2016
• Cache restricted for street purposes totally that over $19,000 was transferred to the street fund in
• In 2024, town spent $688 from the street fund that was inconsistent to Arkansas Code. $28 from the street
• The bank statements of the general, street, and public safety funds were not properly reconciled, in
• Well, they at least paid off the street debt.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee approved the prior meeting minutes and then received updates on delinquent water and sewer reports, including seven new reinstatements and a reduction to four remaining delinquent filers. Staff also reported on municipal accounting code noncompliance, removing Denning and Gum Springs from the 60-day clock after improved records were verified, and presenting repeat findings for Fargo, Lead Hill, Alma, Jericho, and Haynes. Members discussed repeated audit problems, the length of time some issues had persisted, and whether towns should be given additional time or face stronger action; motions were made and adopted to place some entities on a 60-day clock or defer action to later meetings. For Fargo and Alma, staff described extensive repeat accounting deficiencies, including missing budgets, bank reconciliations, financial statements, receipts, journals, and supporting documentation. Fargo’s mayor said the town had been understaffed and was beginning to improve its office systems; the committee voted to defer the matter for 60 days and file the report. Alma’s officials said they were trying to correct water audit and accounting issues, and the committee likewise deferred the matter to the August meeting while warning that water-audit delays could jeopardize turnback funds. The committee then reviewed misuse-of-street-funds findings for Jericho and Haynes. Jericho’s police chief and officials explained that traffic fines, drug-related arrests, and other citations had pushed the town over the statutory threshold, while staff clarified that the speed-trap calculation excludes certain add-on fines and is referred to the prosecuting attorney for any action. Haynes officials said repayment problems stemmed from lost revenue and staffing changes, including the loss of the police department, but staff reported the town remained behind on its repayment plan and also owed the IRS. The committee voted to defer the Haynes matter to September and to defer Jericho as well, with members emphasizing the need for consistency and possible broader legislative review of small-town viability. A special report on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District drew substantial discussion. Staff cited findings involving board approval of payroll and contracts, credit card documentation, car allowances and personal vehicle use, competitive bidding, and unusually high advertising spending, as well as the sale of trailers and other equipment at low prices. The district director said the board had delegated authority for many expenditures, that personal use was reported for tax purposes, and that advertising was necessary to educate the public about recycling. Members questioned the procurement and disposal decisions and the size of the advertising budget; after discussion, the committee deferred the report to September and asked the director to return. The meeting also included brief deferred reports on Biggers, Gilmore, and Holly Grove, which were filed after local officials described ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing audit and tax issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• They represent one of the most urgent public policy challenges facing our state.
• It's on our streets as we walk to the Capitol.
• So we know that people on our streets die.
• So these— Individuals a month who die on the streets of Orange County.
• You see some on the streets, on the sidewalks, but they go to the desert.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HAP) program, focusing on how state homelessness dollars are spent, what accountability measures are in place, and whether those measures are helping or hindering results. The chair framed the discussion around the state’s large homelessness population, the roughly $5 billion invested in HAP since 2018, and the need to balance transparency, performance, and administrative burden as the Legislature considers future funding and possible trailer bill changes for Round 7. Testimony from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Housing and Community Development described HAP’s evolving accountability structure, including regional planning, system performance measures, housing element and pro-housing requirements, encampment policies, and public dashboards. LAO noted that added requirements have lengthened the application and award timeline, while HCD emphasized that the program is increasingly directing funds toward evidence-based housing solutions and that public reporting has improved transparency. HCD also said HAP has helped move more than 90,000 people into permanent housing statewide and that the department is working to reduce duplicative reporting and improve speed. Local officials from Oakland, Alameda County, and Riverside County largely supported HAP but urged the Legislature not to overcorrect with punitive or overly burdensome accountability rules. They argued that homelessness is driven by broader housing shortages and outside factors, that one-time funding should be stable and predictable, and that metrics should focus on program-level outcomes rather than system-wide homelessness counts alone. Several witnesses described HAP as essential to keeping shelter, interim housing, and permanent housing programs operating, with Riverside citing a 19% reduction in unsheltered homelessness and Alameda citing over 6,000 people moved into permanent housing through HAP-funded programs. Members asked about point-in-time count reporting, fraud safeguards, federal funding threats, and whether accountability requirements should be streamlined. Some members emphasized the need for faster disbursement and stable metrics, while others raised concerns about data consistency across counties and the impact of federal cuts to vouchers and supportive housing. No formal vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with members indicating follow-up discussions and future budget negotiations on HAP accountability and funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nobody working in streets or anything like that.
• Cash restricted for street purposes totaled over $19,000 and was transferred to the street fund in 2016
• Joyner, 2024, under the recorder-treasurer, the bank statements of the general, street, and public safety
• May 26, they paid the street back in full.
• Well, they at least paid off the street debt.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Transcript Highlights:

• Public<00:19:18.160><c> Utilities</c><00:19:18.640><c> Commission</c><00:19:19.039><c> with</c> Public
• </c> Brothers like a traditional public Brothers like a traditional public utility.<00:20:42.720><c>
• </c> street before the light turns green. street before the light turns green.
• </c> that remains to safely cross the street. that remains to safely cross the street.
• </c> public defender representing here today. public defender representing here today.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several transportation-related bills. HB 1688, which would provide a general excise tax exemption for certain aircraft maintenance materials, parts, tools, and facility construction, received comments from the Department of Taxation and support from Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Kohala Coast Resort, the Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii, and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii. Testimony indicated the measure was intended to clarify an existing exemption rather than create a new one. The bulk of the hearing focused on HB 2386, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to establish automatic adjustment mechanisms and a water carrier inflationary cost index. The Department of Transportation said it would change its testimony to support the bill, citing a 2020 working group recommendation, while the PUC and DCCA offered comments. Matson, the Maritime Group, Hawaii Harbors Users Group, and Young Brothers supported the measure, arguing it would modernize regulation, improve predictability, and help maintain reliable interisland shipping. Hawaii Farm Bureau offered comments, while Hawaii Food Industry Association, Maui Brewing Company, Lani Kai Brewing Company, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii opposed it, arguing automatic rate increases were not the solution and that underlying costs and efficiencies should be addressed first. The chair noted the bill was essentially the same as one previously considered, and asked questions about how Hawaii’s water carrier regulation compares with other states. The committee also heard HB 1691, which would allow electronic signatures for certain motor vehicle title transfers after total-loss insurance settlements and remove the notary requirement for that narrow transaction. The City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, Hawaii Insurers Council, Copart, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, and one individual supported it, with Copart saying the change would reduce delays and could allow a faster, largely electronic settlement process. Members asked about county impacts, and Copart said counties would only see a different form with no added cost or electronic integration. HB 1680, requiring county finance directors to notify agencies through a centralized system for vehicle transfers, drew opposition from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services and one individual in support. HB 2516, raising helmet requirements for electric foot scooters and bicycles and requiring helmets for high-speed or Class 3 electric bicycles, received support from DOT, DOH, AAA Hawaii, and the Hawaii Bicycling League. HB 193, allowing deaf vehicle owners to register a deafness designation visible to law enforcement, drew support from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services, the Hawaii Disabilities Rights Center, and an individual who suggested amendments to broaden the bill to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and adjust the proof standard. HB 2442, increasing required accessible and van-accessible parking spaces in larger parking lots, was supported by the Disability and Communication Access Board, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Disability Rights Center, which said the bill would address shortages of accessible parking and may need technical amendments to align terminology with the ADA.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the time of the publication of our report in November 2021, 21 months after we first filed our public
• At the time of the publication of our report, no such public information had been made available.
• Policing street-based prostitution focuses on what is most visible: youth and adults working on the street
• Now is the time for public comment.
• I have spoken up at public meetings.

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety held an informational hearing in Pomona on sex work-related crimes and efforts to combat human trafficking. Opening remarks framed the hearing around the repeal of the old loitering law in SB 357 and the recent enactment of AB 379, which will again make loitering with intent to purchase commercial sex a misdemeanor starting January 1, 2026. Members said the goal was to better understand the sex work industry, trafficking, law enforcement practices, and survivor support, with a focus on prevention and accountability. The first panel featured a DOJ representative, a USC law professor, and an ACLU attorney. DOJ presented arrest and conviction data for the repealed loitering statute and said the data did not distinguish clearly between buyers and sellers. USC researchers said anti-trafficking raids and stings often lacked transparency, disproportionately harmed marginalized groups, and frequently failed to identify traffickers or connect survivors to services. The ACLU argued that loitering laws have historically been used to police people of color and that criminalizing sex work or purchase of sex can worsen harm, increase racial disparities, and create immigration consequences. Committee members asked about better data collection, racial disparities, and whether the new law would help communities; responses emphasized public health approaches, housing, job training, and trauma-informed services. The second panel included DOJ, Pomona Police Chief Mike Ellis, and survivor advocate Jess Torres. DOJ described regional human trafficking teams, task forces, prosecutions, and survivor services. Chief Ellis said the repeal of the loitering law reduced officers’ ability to intervene early, contributed to visible open-air prostitution near schools and businesses, and made it harder to rescue juveniles; he supported AB 379 and related local efforts. Torres, speaking as a survivor, argued that survivor voices are often excluded, that many youth in the sex trade are boys or LGBTQ youth, and that criminalization and street enforcement can retraumatize people and push the problem out of sight rather than solve it. She urged prevention, unmet-needs services, and survivor inclusion in policymaking. In the final panel, a Riverside County prosecutor said AB 63 would restore a useful enforcement tool with safeguards and could help officers make earlier contact with potential victims, while stressing the need for training and oversight. A public defender argued that arresting trafficked people reinforces traffickers’ control, creates lifelong barriers, and undermines cooperation, pointing to a Pomona diversion program as evidence that treatment and wraparound services can work. No formal votes were taken during the hearing; the committee used the session for testimony, questions, and discussion of competing approaches to trafficking enforcement and survivor support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, so can you ride an e-bike now on the street, on a public street? Sure.
• Yeah, you can ride an e-bike on the street. You can ride them on a street.
• Well, but I mean like a regular public street with other traffic, with automobile traffic.
• And, I mean, I think we've all encountered e-bikes on the street in that situation.
• And, I mean, I think we've all encountered e-bikes on the street in that situation.

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Transcript Highlights:

• And we want to keep all of the motoring public here in the Commonwealth safe.
• We want the public to be aware, to be alert, to be vigilant.
• It is a practical, life-saving enhancement to our public safety infrastructure.
• We do public education campaigns often on... ...that I can bring back.
• This is a common-sense law, a low-cost solution that protects public safety.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The hearing focused on a broad package of traffic and roadway safety bills, with repeated emphasis on work zone safety, the Move Over law, automated enforcement, and protections for pedestrians, cyclists, and roadside workers. MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver strongly supported a bill allowing MassDOT vehicles to use blue flashing lights in limited work-zone settings, arguing that blue lights reliably slow drivers and could help address a rise in work-zone crashes and fatalities. District Attorney Marion Ryan, State Police representatives, and police association leaders supported a separate Move Over bill that would raise penalties for repeat violations and add an education component, citing officers and workers killed or injured roadside and saying the goal is deterrence and safer driver behavior rather than revenue. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to automated enforcement bills for speed and red-light violations, including proposals for school zones, work zones, and broader local options. Senator Brownsberger and Senator Jalen argued that automated enforcement is needed because speeding and red-light running remain common while police traffic enforcement has declined, and they described the bills as civil, opt-in tools that issue tickets to vehicles rather than drivers. Supporters from WalkMass, T4MA, Safe Roads Alliance, MassBike, Medford officials, and other advocates cited fatal pedestrian crashes, neighborhood speeding, and the need to protect vulnerable road users, while also pointing to privacy and equity safeguards in the bills such as limits on photographs, data retention rules, public reporting, and local approval processes. Several local and advocacy witnesses backed targeted camera programs. Senator Lovely and Representative Cruz supported a Salem school-zone camera bill, describing repeated violations around schools and buses. Medford officials and school-safety advocates supported a similar statewide camera bill, citing recent pedestrian deaths and dangerous cut-through traffic. AAA Northeast and the Massachusetts Aggregate and Asphalt Pavement Association also supported targeted enforcement in work zones and school zones, while urging public education and warning periods. Some witnesses raised concerns about the color of lights for highway workers, with State Police representatives preferring green over blue to avoid confusion with law enforcement, and committee members asked about constitutional issues, surchargeability, and possible targeting concerns. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• If anything government in our streets.
• They caused havoc in our streets.
• It is a nightmare on Lake Street. And it is a nightmare in the main streets of St.
• It is a nightmare on Ces Chavez Street.
• And it is a nightmare in Lake Street.

Transcript Highlights:

• State aid streets must be designed to meet state aid standards, and the state requires the streets in
• State aid streets must be designed to meet state aid standards, and the state requires the streets in
• But is there anyone from the public that wishes to testify?
• Anyone else from the public that wishes to testify?
• </c><00:37:50.599><c> don't</c> you you know those streets don't you you know those streets don't necessarily