Transcript Highlights:

• Our members have come across situations here and there where it may be warranted.
• Uh, so there are situations where it could be warranted, but we do like to see a balance with, of course
• Uh, so there are situations where it could be warranted, but we do like to see a balance with, of course
• ability to list their homes privately, um, because it sounds like there are certainly cases that warrant
• So, instead of an outright warrant that.

Bills: HB1743 , HB2122 , HB1756 , HB1837 , HB1729 , HB2559

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The House Housing Committee heard testimony on several housing-related bills. HB 1743 would expand the owner-builder exemption by repealing a leasing restriction and requiring notice when a leased residential structure was built by an unlicensed contractor. Subcontractors Association of Hawaii and the Contractors Licensing Board opposed the bill, warning it could encourage unlicensed contracting and weaken consumer protections, while Hawaii Realtors, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, BIA Hawaii, and others supported it as a way to increase housing flexibility. After questions about whether licensed electrical and plumbing work would still be required, the committee voted to pass HB 1743 with amendments and a defective date. The committee also heard and advanced HB 2122 HD1 on teacher housing, which would create a teacher housing assistance program using vouchers from the teachers housing revolving fund. Testimony included support from the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Housing Hawaii’s Future, the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, and individuals, with the Office of Collective Bargaining in opposition and the Department of Education offering comments. The bill was voted out as is. The committee then considered HB 1756 and HB 1837, both updating the individual housing account program to reflect current housing prices; supporters including Housing Hawaii’s Future and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs said the limits were outdated and needed inflation adjustments, and HB 1756 was passed with amendments while HB 1837 was deferred as nearly identical. HB 1729 would disallow the state home mortgage interest deduction for second homes. Hawaii Realtors opposed it, while Housing Hawaii’s Future supported it as a way to prioritize first-time homebuyers and reduce competition from second-home buyers. The chair noted a possible revenue savings estimate and the committee passed the bill with amendments, with several reservations. Finally, HB 2559 would prohibit real estate brokers from marketing residential property to limited exclusive groups of buyers, which the Office of Consumer Protection said needed an enforcement clarification and the Realtors said could affect some legitimate private-listing situations. The chair proposed replacing the outright ban with a disclosure requirement for private listings, and the committee passed HB 2559 with amendments. The hearing then adjourned after the chair thanked members, staff, and the public.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, no, this is a bill in search of a problem.
• is</c><03:48:53.120><c> a</c><03:48:53.359><c> bill</c><03:48:53.600><c> in</c><03:48:53.920><c> search
• </c> this is a bill in search of a problem. this is a bill in search of a problem.
• And I was able to rent a room for 3 months, uh, just paying upfront cash for that and use that to search
• In that time, I search for employment.

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• When we are in an active fire incident, it's the general fund through deficiency warrants, or if the
• incident when we are in an active fire incident it's the it's the general fund through deficiency warrants
• We do have the ability to tap into deficiency warrants and utilize that deficiency warrant spending authority
• And so we can use deficiency warrants to cover fires up front.

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 1242, also known as the Facial Recognition Technology Warrant Act of 2025.
• along those lines, you introduced SF 1242, which is also known as the Facial Recognition Technology Warrant
• 1242 which is also known as the facial recognition<00:01:28.520><c> technology</c><00:01:28.960><c> warrant
• </c><00:01:29.439><c> Act</c><00:01:29.680><c> of</c> recognition technology warrant Act of recognition
• technology warrant Act of 2025<00:01:31.159><c> talk</c><00:01:31.400><c> me</c><00:01:31.680><c> through

Transcript Highlights:

• operating our streets, wearing masks, refusing to identify themselves, entering people's homes without a warrant
• themselves, entering people's homes<00:02:26.080><c> without</c><00:02:26.400><c> a</c><00:02:26.640><c> warrant
• </c><00:02:27.360><c> A</c><00:02:27.920><c> strong</c> homes without a warrant.
• A strong homes without a warrant.

Summary: House DFL leader Stevenson said the tied House will require cooperation, noting the caucus has tried to model bipartisan work through co-chairs and that he has a good working relationship with Speaker Damuth. He highlighted the three new DFL special-election winners—Xp Lee, Shelley Buck, and Meg Luger-Nikolai—as bringing health, tribal leadership, nonprofit, labor, and education experience to the chamber. On policy, Stevenson said DFLers want to push back against certain federal immigration enforcement tactics, including masked officers and warrantless entries, and tied the issue to the murder of former Speaker Melissa Hortman. He also said the caucus will pursue gun restrictions such as bans on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, binary triggers, and ghost guns, while acknowledging that Republican leadership would need to allow a floor vote for any bill to advance. He added that DFLers are open to and will lead on fraud prevention, especially in programs serving vulnerable Minnesotans, and said those who steal public funds should face prison. Looking ahead to the second year of the biennium, Stevenson said he hopes for a large bonding bill focused on statewide infrastructure needs, but warned he will not support using bonding as leverage for unrelated policy concessions. He also said affordability will be a major focus, especially food, energy, housing, and health care costs, and argued Minnesota should try to counter rising premiums and hold insurers and pharmaceutical companies accountable.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every year they could adjust and introduce a warrant article and get consent from their voters.
• So, if you're going to put in a warrant, that's step one.
• ,</c> you're going to put in a a warrant, you're going to put in a a warrant, that's<01:45:06.880><c>
• </c><01:45:59.760><c> article</c> treat a petitioned warrant article treat a petitioned warrant article
• </c> different than a traditional warrant different than a traditional warrant article.

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Have a warrant against it.
• </c><00:59:22.480><c> Have</c><00:59:22.640><c> a</c> on their warrant. All right.
• Have a on their warrant. All right. Have a warrant<00:59:23.119><c> against</c><00:59:23.520><c> it.
• Uh the rules right warrant against it.
• I think that's a wise move. have the results of that warrant before have the results of that warrant

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, practically, a simple internet... search for how many genders are there.
• Guiding the search on how to apply the Establishment Clause, it's clear that the Establishment Clause
• will have to be registered, and they will have to be licensed, and they will have to be subject to search
• Ultimately, nine search warrants were conducted, three owners and two store clerks were taken into custody
• A quick Google search on, I expected to find WebMD, but instead I.

Bills: SB3 , SB810 , SB965 , SB1073 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB 3

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did a quick search on who this source is, the Rhodium Group, and a couple minutes of search seems
• I</c><00:52:19.520><c> did</c><00:52:19.680><c> a</c><00:52:19.880><c> quick</c><00:52:20.200><c> search
• </c><00:52:20.720><c> on</c> rollbacks and I did a quick search on rollbacks and I did a quick search
• of a search seems to indicate<00:52:28.319><c> that</c><00:52:28.559><c> they're</c><00:52:29.480><c
• I think that everything is going to warrant to be looked at because our agencies and our policies that

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• And the prime sponsor warrant articles.
• <00:36:34.800><c> articles</c><00:36:35.280><c> were</c> warrant articles were warrant articles were
• I have what our town warrant article looked like now.
• Um because the warrant and the ballot.
• </c> We have a significant number of warrant We have a significant number of warrant articles<00:46:30.960

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> article</c><00:35:46.000><c> submitted</c> recently had a warrant article submitted recently had
• a warrant article submitted which<00:35:46.720><c> asked</c><00:35:46.960><c> if</c><00:35:47.119><c
• </c><00:47:11.839><c> article</c> won't see this on a warrant article won't see this on a warrant article
• </c><00:56:57.760><c> article</c><00:56:58.319><c> this</c><00:56:58.640><c> past</c> a um a warrant
• article this past a um a warrant article this past election.<00:57:00.079><c> You</c><00:57:00.240><c

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> districts are putting out warrant districts are putting out warrant articles<00:23:56.159><c> stating
• </c> &gt;&gt; I don't know about zeros on the warrant &gt;&gt; I don't know about zeros on the warrant
• So they they did pass that warrant it.
• </c> that karge um on their town warrant that karge um on their town warrant article<00:28:37.600><c>
• The warrant separate school board.

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Bills: SB5223 , SB6071 , SB5966 , SB6061 , SB6016 , SB5973 , SB5053 , SB5249 , SB6190 , SB5574 , SB6263 , SB6282 , SB5950 , SB6074 , SB6096 , SB5609 , SB5943 , SJM8016 , SB5907 , SB6155 , SB6158 , SB6227 , SB6085 , SB6234 , SB6274 , SB5909 , SB6045 , SB6089 , SB6170 , SB5954 , SB5762 , SB6032 , SB6082 , SB6164 , SB6176 , SB6319 , SB6308 , SB6177 , SB6052 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB6017 , SB5470 , SB5990 , SB5046 , SB5387 , SB5637 , SB5647 , SB5839 , SB5888 , SB5962 , SB6018 , SB6037 , SB6047 , SB6078 , SB6130 , SB6147 , SB6256 , HB2155 , HB2304 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005

Keywords: criminal offense, fingerprinting, law enforcement, state regulations, public safety, overpayment recovery, modernization, health care, legislation, healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development

Bills: HB145 , HB279 , HB292 , SB35 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM32 , HM51 , HM1 , HM39 , HM29 , HM43 , HM30 , HM52 , HM64 , HM65 , HM66 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HM17 , HM46 , HM13 , HM20 , HM54 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM59 , HM2 , HM16 , HM47 , HM53

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, healthcare privacy, electronic medical records, reproductive health, gender-affirming care, data protection, location tracking, confidentiality, sexual abuse, prison safety, correctional facilities, inmate rights, investigation procedures, judgeship, judiciary, court system

Transcript Highlights:

• recommence proceedings to potentially reduce that in certain circumstances where they feel it is warranted
• arrested in excess of 20 people for larceny and for grand larceny, and then they served several warrants
• , 10 or more warrants, from these people.
• Most of those warrants were for individuals that had anywhere from 15 to 24 prior convictions for petty

Bills: HB3765 , HB4324 , HB3678 , HB4170 , HB3495 , HB3040 , HB3062 , HB4140 , HB4106 , HB4109 , HB4104 , HB3581

Committee: House Criminal Judiciary

Summary: The committee considered a series of criminal justice bills, many of them focused on penalties for theft, public safety, and offenses involving foreign ownership or riot-related conduct. House Bill 3765, as amended, increased the punishment from two to five years for certain felony conduct involving unlawfully acquired foreign land ownership, and was reported do pass. House Bill 4324, a prosecutor-initiated resentencing bill, was also reported do pass after brief explanation and no opposition. Other bills approved included HB 3678, expanding the definition of public officials to cover municipal and public school board members for purposes of harassment/intimidation protections; HB 417, increasing penalties for theft causing environmental damage from crude oil or gasoline; HB 3495, criminalizing straw purchases of land for foreign nationals; HB 3040, expanding “zone of safety” protections for children by adding places like skating rinks, youth recreation centers, pools, arcades, amusement parks, and water parks; HB 362, extending firearm-carry authority to retired municipal judges; HB 4140, creating a uniform felony penalty for firearm theft and possession of stolen firearms; HB 4106, lowering the grand larceny threshold to $900 and adding penalties for repeat petty larceny; HB 4109, creating a duty to report certain crime-related evidence and circumstances at hospitals and other facilities; and HB 4104, restructuring peeping-tom/voyeurism offenses and sex-offender registration consequences. Several of these bills were amended before passage, including HB 4106 and HB 4104, and HB 3581 was taken up later with a committee substitute and amendment before discussion of its riot-related provisions. The committee also laid over HB 3497 and HB 4142, and adjourned after reporting the remaining bills out with mostly unanimous or near-unanimous votes, typically do pass or do pass as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• If I issue a warrant in Portland and the person is arrested in El Paso, and we have to do an emergency
• All we see is a hit confirmation from whatever agency that warrant was issued in. Sorry. Hello?
• All we have is a hit confirmation from whatever agency that warrant was issued in.
• They have a packet that they go through, but most jurisdictions don't, especially with the warrant issued
• to get that information, but if it's an out-of-jurisdiction arrest, all we have is a copy of the warrant

Bills: SB1099 , SB1896 , SB1980 , SB127 , SB614 , SB955 , SB1278 , SB1372 , SB1936 , SB1937 , SB2580 , SB2595 , SB2798

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: SB 1099, illegal alien, undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant, immigration status, felony sentencing enhancement, criminal penalty increase, Texas Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, affirmative finding, judgment finding, deportation, public safety, immigration enforcement, sentencing reform, felony offense, first-degree felony, minimum sentence, Criminal Justice, Criminal Jurisprudence

Summary: The Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence met with a quorum and heard a series of Senate bills, generally receiving sponsor explanations and, in most cases, no public testimony. SB 2595 would create a Class B misdemeanor for harassing, threatening, or intimidating someone while intentionally concealing identity with a mask, with broad affirmative defenses for legitimate mask use; SB 1980 would increase penalties for assaulting peace officers, parole officers, and community supervision officers and add related presumptions and interference protections; and SB 1896 would require magistrates to issue emergency protective orders in certain family violence, sexual assault, stalking, and aggravated cases, with law enforcement required to provide needed information. All three were left pending. The committee also heard SB 955, which increases trafficking of persons from a second-degree to a first-degree felony when the victim was recruited from a correctional facility, and SB 614, which would let the Texas Forensic Science Commission refer dismissed complaints to the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs when they reference a prior FSC report; both were left pending. Members then heard several forensic and criminal procedure bills. SB 1372 would resolve a discovery/access conflict involving the DPS crime lab portal by limiting portal access to defense attorneys rather than defendants directly, prompting questions from members about access for pro se defendants; DPS’s chief crime lab witness testified neutrally. SB 1936 would change the LSD “abuse unit” definition for unmarked/unperforated paper from a square-measurement method to a 10-milligram weight standard, and SB 1937 would require a subject matter expert from the testing lab to participate in pretrial meetings in capital cases involving biological evidence to help identify viable testing and conserve resources. SB 2580 would lower the population threshold for sheriff’s departments to independently use tracking equipment and access certain communications from 3.3 million to 500,000, expanding the authority beyond Harris County; it was described as a public safety and emergency response measure and left pending. The committee also considered SB 2798, which would extend the statute of limitations for certain financial crimes from three years to seven years, with testimony from a Montgomery County assistant district attorney supporting the change because fraud is often discovered late. SB 1099 would increase penalties for felony offenses committed by undocumented or unauthorized aliens, but drew strong opposition from the Texas Civil Rights Project, which argued immigration is a federal matter and that the bill would create difficult and potentially unfair status determinations for local courts; members raised concerns about the lack of an expert-testimony requirement. SB 1278 would create an affirmative defense to prostitution prosecution for trafficking victims compelled by their traffickers to commit the conduct, and testimony from advocates and a member’s personal account emphasized the coercive, traumatic nature of trafficking; members discussed whether the defense should be narrower or framed as mitigation, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 127 would extend the statute of limitations for failure to report or conceal child abuse, with members discussing mandatory reporting duties and the need to allow more time for delayed discovery of cover-ups; it too was left pending before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this begs the question: how can an offender be found dangerous enough to warrant a GPS one moment,
• and whether or not that warrant is active, and no law enforcement officer has to have the warrant in
• their possession to act upon that warrant.
• and whether or not that warrant is active and no law enforcement officer has to have the warrant in
• their possession to act upon that warrant and i think that there's room here as you consider that bill

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Summary: The hearing opened with procedural remarks and acknowledgments of Rosh Hashanah, followed by testimony on several criminal justice bills before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. A major focus was S. 1061, the “Raise the Age” bill, which would gradually move 18- to 20-year-olds into the juvenile justice system. Supporters included youth and young adult advocates, former juvenile court Judge Jay Blitzman, ACLU and CPCS representatives, Roca, United Way, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, and Senator Brendan Crichton. They argued that young adults are still developmentally immature, that juvenile court services improve education and rehabilitation, and that adult-system involvement leads to higher recidivism and racial disparities. Committee members asked practical questions about how the bill would work, and witnesses explained that it would expand access to juvenile court diversion, probation, and DYS services for the covered age group. The chairs also noted a notice issue, clarifying that the hearing had been posted seven days in advance rather than the usual ten. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to revise accomplice and joint venture murder liability and sentencing. Representative Sam Montaño and Senator Liz Miranda supported the reform, arguing that current law can impose life sentences on people with limited or no knowledge of a killing and that the doctrine contributes to racial bias and disproportionate punishment. A law professor, a former defendant, and advocates from the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls described cases where people were punished far beyond their actual role and said the bill would better align charges and sentences with individual culpability. Related testimony also supported a proportionality-focused reform to reduce the harshness of joint venture sentencing. Several other public safety and criminal justice bills drew testimony. Senator Robin Kennedy supported a bill redefining strangulation in domestic violence law, saying the current “substantial pressure” standard is too vague and that strangulation is often lethal without visible injury. District Attorney Ryan and a retail business executive backed a bill on organized retail theft, saying it would give prosecutors more flexible charging options and better address coordinated theft rings. Representative Vieira and the family of Kiana Barros urged action on Kiana’s Law, which would improve restraining-order notification and enforcement after Barros’s daughter was killed after an order was not served. The hearing also included support for the HALO Act, which would create a 25-foot safety zone around first responders and penalize harassment or obstruction, and for a bill to enhance courthouse security by creating specific protections for judges and their families. No votes were taken during the hearing."} 0}]}

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, we've got a system where a judge, you have to go before them and get a court order or warrant
• Searching for a hidden key to unlock basic help that this patient clearly needed.
• to me that if you guys are reporting the information that this bill is requesting, you guys are searching
• This bill bolsters and solidifies accountability that is necessary. warranted to do this job.
• larger hospitals, they are more likely to have recognized that the education and training of AAs warrant

Bills: HB3772 , HB1656 , HB4504 , HB1896 , HB4420 , HB4421 , HB4076 , HB3708 , HB2806 , HB3540 , HB1586 , HB5459 , HB4553 , HB4535 , HB3811 , HB3749 , HB4255 , HB4051 , HB5098 , HB3554 , HB4539 , HB5274

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: e-cigarettes, health and safety, regulations, directory, penalties, regulation, certification, compliance, manufacturers, FDA, nicotine, mental health, emergency detention, paramedic authority, mental illness, healthcare facility, public health, covenants not to compete, health care practitioners, physicians

Transcript Highlights:

• Um but they do threaten people with warrants of arrest.
• Um but they do threaten people with warrants of arrest.
• Um but they do threaten people with warrants of arrest.
• Um but they do threaten people with warrants of arrest.
• Um but they do threaten people with warrants of arrest.

Summary: The committee held an informational briefing on fraud in the community, with presenters from ARP, CoinFlip, HPD, the Hawaii Bankers Association, DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection, and the Department of Law Enforcement. The chair described widespread scams targeting kupuna and other residents, including impersonation of grandchildren, lottery/inheritance schemes, romance scams, online shopping fraud, investment scams, and tech-support scams. Members emphasized the emotional manipulation used by scammers, the difficulty of getting victims to report losses, and the need to educate the public on warning signs and available resources. ARP said scams are an epidemic and highlighted national data showing major losses among older adults, including $4.8 billion lost by people age 60 and over in 2024. ARP focused especially on cryptocurrency kiosks as a growing scam channel in Hawaii, citing 64 complaints totaling $922,000 in 2024 and noting that complaints nearly doubled from the prior year. ARP urged stronger safeguards such as limits on transactions, refunds, live customer support, and a law-enforcement contact for operators, and said its Fraud Watch Network can help victims freeze credit, identify next steps, and track current scams. The chair said he intends to introduce legislation to lower and ultimately eliminate the amount of Bitcoin that can be purchased through ATMs. CoinFlip said it supports consumer-protection regulation and described its compliance practices, including scam warning screens, anti-money-laundering controls, blockchain analytics, wallet pinning, transaction monitoring, and cooperation with law enforcement. The company said it is registered as a money services business, files suspicious activity and currency transaction reports, and holds money transmitter licenses in many jurisdictions. It also pointed to Illinois-style refund protections for new users and said it refunds fees to scam victims, though not the underlying funds. In response to committee questions, members and the company discussed whether crypto kiosks are necessary, how scams can be traced, and whether banks and kiosks can better intervene when suspicious activity is detected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Claimant requested reissuance of an outdated warrant in the amount of $30,437.38 payable from the State
• This is not a reissuance of a warrant.
• This is not a reissuance of a warrant.
• I'd make a motion to batch the rest of D's, D4 through D7, for the reissuance of warrants.
• What was a warrant issued for payment to them? This is not a reissuance.

Committee: All ALC-CLAIMS REVIEW/LITIGATION REPORTS OVERSIGHT

Summary: The committee first reviewed litigation reports from the Department of Labor and Licensing involving wage claims brought under the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act. Members questioned the department’s authority, jurisdiction, use of attorney fees and costs, and whether defendants had to be licensed. The department explained it has long enforced wage and overtime laws, that the claims were small-dollar cases handled by investigators and counsel, and that one case had been paid and dismissed while others were unresolved or had service issues. The committee voted to review or batch-file the labor cases after discussion. The University of Arkansas System then reported three pending lawsuits: an age- and race-discrimination claim by a tenured professor that was resolved early; an ADA/FMLA retaliation claim by a former employee that survived in part on a motion to dismiss and was moving into discovery; and a Section 1983 claim against a UAMS sergeant arising from a parking-ticket dispute, with the university explaining that only punitive damages could create personal exposure for the officer. The committee reviewed each report and voted to accept them. The Department of Finance and Administration presented a proposed tax settlement reducing a sales-and-use tax assessment from about $48,000 to $20,000 and waiving interest and penalties, which the committee approved for review. The Claims Commission then presented several claims: an unpaid salary differential for a Department of Health employee, reissued warrants, unpaid DHS bills, and multiple negotiated settlements involving ATRS, UAMS, Arkansas State Police, and ARDOT. Members approved or affirmed most of these items, including a $65,000 settlement in the Tetronics/ATRS matter, a $150,000 medical-negligence settlement, and several vehicle-accident settlements. The most extended debate involved a tax-delinquent property sale claim by Sharon Greer and relatives. The claimant argued they were not properly notified and sought the $4,200 excess from the 2009 sale. Land Commissioner counsel explained the excess had escheated to the county after the statutory claim period expired, while members debated sovereign immunity, standing, heirs, and whether the committee could or should award money anyway. The committee ultimately chose to hold the matter over for further review in a future joint session rather than decide it immediately. The committee also heard appeals from dismissed claims, including a UAMS medical-negligence claim, a land-sale notice claim, a pothole claim against ARDOT, and a judicial-immunity claim against the Court of Appeals; most dismissals were affirmed, and the Simpson matter was held over for additional review after the claimant testified.