Transcript Highlights:

• Lewin and Terry (indistinct) are counting on you, as well as all members of the board of the Hawaii Planning
• Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent to Roxann Rowe for the Health Planning Council for Hawaii

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee met for decision making on GM 572, the nomination of Roxann Rowe to the Health Planning Council for Hawaii County, with a term expiring June 30, 2028. The chair noted that the committee had received Rowe’s questionnaire responses and emphasized the committee’s role in reviewing nominees’ qualifications and ability to carry out their duties. No testimony was taken and no questions were raised by members. The chair recommended advising and consenting to the nomination. The committee voted unanimously in favor: the chair, vice chair, Senator Hashimoto, and Senator Keohokalole all voted aye, while Senator Fevella was excused. The recommendation was adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with him is Abby Simmons from the SAL caucus from the Democratic Party of Hawaii.
• Sall caucus from the Democratic<00:15:55.800><c> party</c><00:15:56.000><c> of</c><00:15:56.079><c> Hawaii
• </c><00:15:56.759><c> welcome</c><00:15:57.519><c> Abby</c> Democratic party of Hawaii welcome Abby Democratic
• party of Hawaii welcome Abby thank<00:15:58.720><c> you</c> thank you thank you [Applause] representative

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the only two that we are aware of that have it run by the state is Hawaii and California.
• </c><00:27:01.360><c> and</c> that it's run by the state is Hawaii and that it's run by the state is
• Hawaii and California.<00:27:02.799><c> California</c><00:27:03.360><c> has,</c><00:27:03.679><c> I</
• </c><01:08:29.120><c> Um</c><01:08:30.159><c> however</c> defraud the state of Hawaii.
• Um however defraud the state of Hawaii.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the Office of the Auditor’s recent audit of Hawaii’s deposit beverage container program and the Department of Health’s response. State Auditor Les Condo reviewed the program’s structure, noting it was created to increase recycling and reduce litter, but said prior audits have repeatedly found weak internal controls, reliance on self-reported data, and an “honor system” approach. He cited examples of underreporting and overpayment risks, including a Whole Foods settlement and secret-shopper testing at a redemption center where the program reimbursed more than what was actually paid to consumers. Condo said the special fund continues to grow, increasing by more than $12 million between FY24 and FY25, and that the 2024 audit found no meaningful progress in implementing earlier recommendations. He also noted that many prior recommendations were later codified in law, including risk-based audits and internal control requirements, and said the office will audit the program again in about a year. Senator Fevella said the briefing was needed because he has seen little progress over the years and emphasized the program’s goals of reducing litter and promoting recycling. He noted that Hawaii has lost a glass recycler, underscoring broader challenges in the system. Department of Health Deputy Director Kathleen Hoe said the department is committed to addressing longstanding problems and said the director’s office meets with the program twice a month. Program staff outlined steps being taken to respond to the audit, including revising accounting and inspection/enforcement manuals, retaining third-party services, and implementing risk-based audits of distributors and redemption centers. They said internal control process documents from distributors were due June 30, with about 200 received and roughly 100 still outstanding, and that enforcement letters are being sent. The department also described plans for electronic reporting to reduce manual entry and improve accuracy, as well as a broader legislative proposal for a tiered audit system. Under that proposal, larger distributors would remain subject to the current every-other-year audit requirement, middle-tier distributors would be audited every five years, and smaller distributors would be exempt. Officials said the governor had temporarily waived enforcement of the 2025 independent audit requirement because of cost concerns for smaller distributors, while the department reviews submitted audits and considers a longer-term fix. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We recently enjoyed a family wedding in Hawaii. It was also a great family reunion.
• Ong refugees at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and arrived in the state of Hawaii a year later.
• In Hawaii, he also worked with Vietnamese and Indo-Chinese volunteer. agency, a non-profit organization

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually have one, and it's related to the reclamation and the bonding.
• But if you look at the scope of these, you don't have the litigation support to call the bonds.
• But if you tried to bond something at like a billion dollars through county ordinances that have to post
• That's dead money to them if you're requiring that bond. He creates something.
• That's dead money to them if you're requiring that bond.

Committee: Joint Energy Development and Transmission Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually have one, and it's related to the reclamation and the bonding.
• But if you look at the scope of these, you don't have the litigation support to call the bonds.
• But if you tried to bond something at like a billion dollars through county ordinances that have to post
• That's dead money to them if you're requiring that bond. He creates something.
• That's dead money to them if you're requiring that bond.

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of Minnkota Power Cooperative before hearing presentations on large energy consumers and related infrastructure issues. The first presentation, from the North Dakota Transmission Authority, focused on the need for better local decision-making tools for counties, townships, and planning and zoning boards facing major projects such as transmission lines, pipelines, data centers, wind, solar, and large-scale agriculture. The speaker urged more objective, data-driven analysis, noted that local officials often have limited time and resources, and said the state should support training and tools through groups like the League of Cities and the Association of Counties. Members asked about proactive outreach, data center ordinances, and how to avoid subsidizing large loads or causing reliability problems. The Division of Air Quality then discussed environmental oversight of data centers, emphasizing that North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the country and that the agency’s role is limited to air, water discharge, stormwater, and waste—not zoning or water use. The presentation explained that data centers generally have low direct emissions but may rely on diesel backup generators when the grid is unavailable, which creates air-quality concerns; the department said it is requiring air monitors at some projects to collect real-world data and guide future decisions. Members asked about generator emissions, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession, and the agency said permit applicants pay for the monitors while the state handles some QA work. The Department of Water Resources followed with an overview of North Dakota water law and data center water use. The director explained the state’s prior-appropriation system, the public-interest review for permits, and the large overall water supply available from groundwater and the Missouri River. He said most proposed data centers use closed-loop cooling systems and generally request relatively small amounts of water compared with other uses such as power plants, irrigation, and oilfield operations, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use only a tiny fraction of Missouri River flow. Questions focused on downstream impacts and comparisons to fracking water use, and the director said the state’s use is too small to materially affect downstream users. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd-Erickson testified online about data center zoning and permitting. He asked the committee to have Legislative Council gather information on how other states handle data center permitting and to keep the topic on the interim agenda. He argued that local zoning should remain local, but said counties lack the technical and legal resources to manage complex reclamation or bonding requirements and that state-level enabling legislation may be more appropriate. He also recommended eliminating tax incentives for data centers. The committee chair said staff would prepare a document on other states’ zoning and permitting approaches. After a lunch recess, the committee reconvened at the EERC, where CEO Charles Gorecki gave an overview of the center’s 75 years of work and its role in oil and gas, carbon management, and other energy technologies, highlighting enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide utilization as major opportunities for future production and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Starting with the capital outlook at the beginning, jumping to the second bullet, severance tax bonding
• General obligation bond capacity, on the other hand, went up a bit.
• General obligation bonds.
• They have had some challenges moving balances on previous general obligation bond packages going back
• You can see the School of Medicine requests and general obligation bonds.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California, they began labor organizing, because so many of them had come from the sugar plantations in Hawaii
• celebrate Korean American Day as the first group immigration day in 1903, 20,102 farm workers landed in Hawaii
• When I landed in Hawaii during my peaceful time, I encountered those first-generation people.
• That's the example of The example of the Korean farmers, how they came to California from Hawaii, and

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to your Hawaii House of Representatives.
• recognized<00:15:18.680><c> welcome</c><00:15:18.959><c> to</c><00:15:19.079><c> your</c><00:15:19.279><c> Hawaii
• </c><00:15:19.680><c> house</c> recognized welcome to your Hawaii house recognized welcome to your Hawaii

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and in Colorado, families Hawaii, and in Colorado, families reeling<04:04:31.520><c> from</c><04:04
• </c><04:05:10.800><c> This</c><04:05:11.120><c> legislation</c> Hawaii, and Colorado.
• This legislation Hawaii, and Colorado.
• The gentlewoman from Hawaii is recognized for three minutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahalo, Mr.
• </c> Colorado, Hawaii, or any place else. Colorado, Hawaii, or any place else.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 27, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The company owns and operates the hazardous waste facilities located in Hawaii County, where there's
• along the railroad, where transfers are made from rail cars into trucks that take things out to the Hawaii

Summary: The House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee met with a quorum and considered three bills. House Bill 593, which had already been heard, was moved by Representative Redmond and approved for a due pass recommendation to the floor without discussion. House Bill 714, sponsored by Representative Vander Woude, would repeal Chapter 58 and reorganize hazardous waste siting provisions into Chapter 44, Title 39, consolidating and updating language from an older, unused framework. He said the bill was developed with DEQ and stakeholders to remove duplicative provisions and reflect current practice. Roy Gehrin, representing Republic Services, testified in support and said the company worked closely with DEQ and other stakeholders on the legislation. The committee then voted to send HB 714 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1265, presented by Representative Scott, was described as a code cleanup bill related to the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act. She said it removes expired historical distribution language, obsolete cross-references, and other outdated provisions without changing funding percentages or eligibility standards. Representative Thompson moved the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved that motion. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The company owns and operates the hazardous waste facilities located in Hawaii County, where there's
• along the railroad, where transfers are made from rail cars into trucks that take things out to the Hawaii

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just moved here from Hawaii. Thank you, Madam Chair. My name is Louis Raleigh.
• I just moved here from Hawaii, actually.
• Like Hawaii. Tell me about Hawaii and why come to Idaho from Hawaii?

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee began with introductions of three new Senate pages, who briefly described their backgrounds and interests. The committee then approved the minutes from February 3rd by voice vote. The first bill heard was House Bill 558, which would codify protections for foster youth’s Social Security survivor benefits so those funds remain with the child rather than being used by the state. The sponsor and committee members discussed that the bill would align state law with an existing executive order, clarify that it applies only to foster youth, and help young people transition out of foster care. After questions about fiscal impact and how the benefits work, the committee voted to send HB 558 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 528, dealing with directed and autologous blood donations. Supporters said the bill would clarify Idaho law, protect patient choice, and address reported barriers to obtaining directed donations for planned procedures. Opponents, including Red Cross and blood center representatives, argued the bill was unnecessary because such donations are already allowed, could create confusion, add cost, and imply the general blood supply is unsafe. After extensive testimony from medical professionals, patients, and advocacy groups on both sides, the committee voted to send HB 528 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with one member requesting to be recorded as opposed.

Transcript Highlights:

• training areas very critical to ensuring U.S. and allied militias have a safe and secure base in Hawaii
• These landless leases in Hawaii are set to expire in 2029, right around the corner.
• as I mentioned, are critical to ensuring U.S. and allied militias have a safe and secure base in Hawaii
• Again, for you, the DOD stakeholders are closely coordinating with the EPA, Hawaii State agencies, and
• And in fact, it was just a couple weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting with the Hawaii Coordination

Committees: Senate Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee , Senate SeaPower Subcommittee , Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces , Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: national security, nuclear energy, Department of Defense, military readiness, public commentary, nominations

Summary: The meeting convened with a focus on the scrutiny of various nominations and their implications for national security. Mr. Brandon Williams was nominated as the Undersecretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, drawing attention to the pressing need to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal amid growing threats from other countries. This was echoed in discussions led by committee members who expressed concern over military readiness and the management of military installations, with emphasis on ensuring accountability within the Department of Defense. Public commentary was notably supportive of the nominations, although some concerns were raised regarding the administration's broader strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plans for VA are not in line with what I believe are right for veterans in Hawaii and across the country
• course, work with him as a member of this committee to make the quality of life better for veterans in Hawaii

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We recently enjoyed a family wedding in Hawaii. It was also a great family reunion.
• Thailand as part of the Hmong refugees at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and arrived in the state of Hawaii
• In Hawaii, he also worked with a Vietnamese-Indochinese volunteer agency, a nonprofit organization, and

Summary: The Assembly met on March 6, 2025, after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance. Members then made a series of guest introductions recognizing Vaisakhi celebrations, nonprofit leaders from San Joaquin County, immigrant and refugee advocate Liu Yang, students from Somerdale Elementary School, Trustee Sylvia Leong, and a Leadership Torrance delegation. The chamber also took up several procedural motions, including a successful motion to withdraw SB 100 from Budget Committee and send it to the second reading file, and unanimous consent to re-refer several Assembly bills to different committees. On the floor, members considered a number of bills and resolutions. AB 238 on wildfire relief, providing up to a year of mortgage forbearance for fire-impacted homeowners, passed with urgency. AB 373 on client-directed representation for non-minor dependents in foster care passed unanimously, as did AB 287 requiring accessible parking for curbside voting at vote centers. AB 628, requiring new residential leases to include a working refrigerator and stove, passed 49-8. ACR 15 designating April 15 as California Propane Day was adopted by voice vote after adding 55 co-authors. AB 483, requiring disclosure and limiting fees for early termination in fixed-term installment contracts, passed 43-11. AB 234, an urgency bill allowing the Assembly Speaker and Senate Pro Tem or their designees to sit on the Fair Plan governing committee, passed 60-0. The Assembly also heard several adjournment-in-memory tributes, including for Gustavo Camacho Lopez, retired firefighter William Brett Potter, and Rob Ashley. The day concluded with announcements of committee meetings and the next floor session schedule, followed by adjournment until April 10, 2025, at 9 a.m. A later vote change noted Assembly Member McKinnor changed her vote on AB 483 from aye to not voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS YEAR WE WENT TO HAWAII.
• GOOD MORNING YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING TEMPLE ROBINSON CEO OF BOND COMMUNITY

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and there are others.
• warning by Conroe police in the Conroe VA clinic, she spent 36 hours in jail while waiting for a PR bond

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• different countries, cultures, languages, and ethnic groups within Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Hawaii
• electronic nicotine delivery systems and nicotine liquids that may be sold in the state, requiring a surety bond

Transcript Highlights:

• In the gallery today is a familiar face to many in this building, Cameron Hurt from Common Cause Hawaii
• building Cameron hurt from<00:20:28.640><c> common</c><00:20:28.919><c> cause</c><00:20:29.480><c> Hawaii
• </c><00:20:30.480><c> welcome</c><00:20:30.840><c> again</c> from common cause Hawaii welcome again from
• common cause Hawaii welcome again to<00:20:31.120><c> your</c><00:20:31.240><c> house</c><00:20:31.400

Keywords: 910, house, all