Video & Transcript Research : 'Chapter 45'
Page 95 of 500
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 04/08/26
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
Transcript Highlights:
- North Star Chapter. North Star Chapter.
- Senator<00:45:52.640>
McEwen <00:45:53.280>offers <00:45:53.640>the <00:45:53.840 - And<00:45:58.880>
it <00:45:59.040>should <00:45:59.320>be <00:45:59.600> - Thank you.<01:45:06.600>
And <01:45:06.720>I <01:45:06.800>think <01:45:07.080>- > with<01:45:07.320>
that <01:45:07.520>we <01:45:07.640>will <01:45:07.760>< - > with<01:45:07.320>
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- They don't use SB15; they use Chapter 143. I'm sorry, could you say that again?
- It's not like we're just going from Chapter 143 to Chapter 143, right?
- SB15 is certainly not just standardizing Chapter 143, right? It's a big change.
- They looked and saw what was in Chapter 143 and said that's the best we've seen.
- We got there about 6:45, right before we went on tour.
Bills:
SB2, SB3, SB5, SB9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB18, SB34, SB6, SB7, SB8, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB 2, SB 3, SB 5, SB 9, SB 10, SB 14, SB 16, SB 18, SB 34, SB 6, SB 7, SB 8, SB 11, SB 12, SB 13, SB 15, SB 17, SB 4, SB1, SB2, SB3, SB5, SB9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB18, SB34, SB6, SB7, SB8, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB17, SB4
Keywords:
flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, hemp regulation, consumable products
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- ><00:45:30.800>
to <00:45:30.920>consider <00:45:31.200>and <00:45:31.319>I - :35.280>
no <00:45:35.520>not <00:45:35.680>right <00:45:35.800>now <00:45- 00:45:43.960>
don't <00:45:44.160>come <00:45:44.359>from <00:45:44.920>an - if<00:45:52.000>
you <00:45:52.119>could <00:45:52.280>give <00:45:52.400>me - :45:01.119>
do <01:45:01.239>it <01:45:01.360>and <01:45:01.440>made <01:45 - :35.280>
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
SPEED Task Force (STF) - Wed May 27, 2026 @ 10:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We will finish this presentation, and it'll be around 11:30 or 11:45, and we're going to recess.
- So, we will start our presentation on the district boundary amendment around maybe 11:45 and carry on
- That's a 45-day maximum turnaround in a decision.
- Maybe we'll break at 3:40 or 3:45 just to continue the conversation.
- For instance, one very active group is the Hawaii chapter of the AIA.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Senate Bill 1100, amending Title 41, Chapter 41.19.
- House Bill 4156, amending the law as 2021, chapter 9000, amending laws 2023, chapter 2011, and state
- Senate Bill 1335, amending Sections 45-465.05 and 45-494, A.R.S., relating to groundwater.
- Senate Bill 1421, amending Title 6, Chapter 1, Article 2, A.R.S., and Title 44, Chapter 9, Article 1,
- Enacting an amendment to Title 28, Chapter 14, Article 2, A.R.S.
Summary:
The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, approved the journal, and welcomed several guests in the gallery, including a high school student and an advocate connected to the domestic violence bill HB 2995. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, first advancing HB 4155, HB 4156, and HB 4157, then HB 4164, HB 4165, and HB 4166, all with do-pass recommendations and no substantive amendments on those calendars. Later, the House also considered SB 1326, a victims’ rights measure, adopted a floor amendment, and reported it out as amended. The House corrected an earlier clerical error regarding HB 4155-4157 being referred to engrossing rather than third reading.
The House then took up a long series of final passage votes on Senate bills. SB 2174, SB 2611, SB 1011, SB 1012, SB 1016, SB 1018, SB 1038, SB 1039, SB 1040, SB 1053, SB 1055, SB 1057, SB 1060, SB 1061, SB 1068, SB 1069, SB 1075, SB 1100, SB 1113 on reconsideration, SB 1160, and SB 1170 all passed. SB 2873, SB 1004, SB 1009, SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1049, SB 1093, and SB 1143 failed. SB 2995, the emergency family-law/domestic-violence bill known as the Alec and Lydia Act, passed with the required two-thirds vote after extensive debate; supporters said it would better protect children and clarify judicial standards, while opponents argued its definitions were overly broad and could harm families. SB 1018 on foreign laws also drew extended debate over Sharia law, with supporters framing it as a defense of American values and opponents calling it unnecessary and discriminatory.
Several votes included explanations focused on policy concerns. SB 1004 on sex-offender registration and monitoring drew debate over whether electronic monitoring is effective. SB 1040 on voter registration transparency prompted arguments over public access to voter rolls versus privacy and security. SB 1118 on municipal zoning and historical homes was debated as a property-rights and local-control issue, with supporters saying it could help preserve affordable housing and opponents warning it would override local decisions. The House also adopted motions to reconsider prior actions on SB 1043 and SB 1100, and it requested the Senate return SB 1552 for reconsideration. The session ended with the House still processing additional Committee of the Whole business, including HB 4158, HB 4159, HB 4160, HB 4161, HB 4162, and HB 4163, with HB 4162 and HB 4163 receiving floor amendments and do-pass recommendations.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- :39:48.640>
call <01:39:48.960>it, chapter, chapter three we call it, chapter, chapter - /c><02:45:08.640>
and <02:45:08.760>now <02:45:08.920>we <02:45:09.040>have <02:45:18.760>- It<02:45:13.800>
just <02:45:14.040>depends <02:45:14.440>on <02:45:14.560>how - a
lot <02:45:19.080>of <02:45:19.160>conversation <02:45:19.800 - It<02:45:13.800>
- The<02:45:59.080>
other <02:45:59.240>thing <02:45:59.440>that <02:45:59.560>
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Municipal and County Government (02/19/2025)
Municipal and County Government
Transcript Highlights:
- :45.320>
know <01:45:45.560>throughout <01:45:45.920>the <01:45:46.159>state< - the state I have been<01:45:48.040>
in <01:45:48.159>front <01:45:48.360>of <01: - 45:48.480>
many <01:45:48.679>zoning <01:45:49.119>boards <01:45:50.119>in <01:45:50.560>- > of
many <01:45:50.760>planning <01:45:51.199>boards <01:45:52.199 - that I<01:45:56.599>
wanted <01:45:56.920>to <01:45:57.159>attempt <01:45:57.800>
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 02/11/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- :05.800>
of <00:45:05.920>the <00:45:06.079>secret <00:45:06.480>war <00:45 - :06.880>
in <00:45:07.280>La <00:45:08.280>a <00:45:08.480>theater <00:45: - :09.200>
in <00:45:09.400>part <00:45:09.680>of <00:45:09.960>the <00:45:10.160 - /c><00:45:13.520>
celebrates <00:45:14.520>uh <00:45:14.720>that <00:45:15.000>- history uh with<00:45:16.119>
funding <00:45:16.680>of <00:45:16.960>a <00:45:17.800 - history uh with<00:45:16.119>
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 2/13/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- 20.520>
such <00:45:20.680>as <00:45:20.800>fraud <00:45:21.160>or <00:45: - :22.720>
like <00:45:22.920>to <00:45:23.160>allow <00:45:23.480>for <00:45 - <00:45:37.480>
by <00:45:37.720>DHS <00:45:38.720>or <00:45:39.520>another - <00:45:44.680>
withhold <00:45:45.319>when <00:45:45.520>somebody <00:45:46.040>< - ><00:45:55.839>
recoveries <00:45:56.400>from <00:45:56.559>sh <00:45:57.200>
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery
Transcript Highlights:
- You know, Section 35 gives us mothers 45...
- You know, Stony Brook is 45, anywhere from 45 to 90 days.
- So I am completely in support of Section 35 of Chapter 123.
- I am completely in support of Section 35 of Chapter 123.
- I am completely in support of Section 35 of Chapter 123.
Summary:
The committee held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-2026 session on bills dealing with involuntary commitment and access to addiction treatment, especially proposals to move Section 35 civil commitments away from jails and prisons and into facilities licensed or approved by DPH or DMH. Chairs Velis and Domb framed the hearing as a discussion of how to support people in crisis with compassion, while also warning against using involuntary commitment as a way to remove unhoused people from public view. The hearing also touched on related concerns about discharge practices, treatment capacity, and the need for a broader continuum of care.
Testimony split largely along two themes. Addiction researcher Keith Humphreys argued that many people enter treatment under pressure, that involuntary treatment can be ethically justified in the face of overdose risk, but that it should not be mandated unless high-quality services exist first; he emphasized the need for inpatient care when someone is a grave danger, followed by case management and outpatient support. MAMH’s Kate Alicante supported the bill, saying Massachusetts is the only state that commits people with substance use conditions to jails or prisons and that carceral settings add trauma and stigma; she pointed to prior legislative steps, including the Section 35 commission and the planned closure of DOC’s MESAC facility, as evidence that the Commonwealth is moving toward health-based settings.
A major portion of the hearing focused on Stony Brook, a sheriff-run stabilization and treatment center in Hampden County. Boston City Councilor John Fitzgerald, several committee members, and multiple people in recovery described the facility as humane, well-run, and effective, with longer stays, medical monitoring, medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and warm handoffs to aftercare. Several witnesses said Stony Brook saved their lives or helped family members recover, and they argued that the sheriff’s office model should be expanded rather than eliminated. Others, including family members and advocates, countered that even a well-run correctional setting remains stigmatizing and that people should not be treated in facilities run by sheriffs or corrections when they have committed no crime.
No vote was taken. The hearing concluded with continued testimony, including Senator Friedman’s support for Section 35 as a civil commitment tool but not in a criminal justice setting, and her separate support for a bill to speed inpatient mental health treatment.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
ECD Public Hearing - Fri Jan 30, 2026 @ 10:00 AM HST
Economic Development & Technology
Transcript Highlights:
- 481b would provide for in chapter 481b would provide for broader<00:45:05.599>
enforcement. - <00:45:06.319>
Um <00:45:06.640>thank <00:45:06.800>you <00:45:06.880>and - >> Uh,<00:45:14.720>
hello <00:45:15.119>chair, <00:45:15.359>vice <00:45:15.599 - <00:45:16.720>
The <00:45:16.880>office <00:45:17.119>of <00:45:17.280>wellness - 00:45:20.319>
and <00:45:20.480>are <00:45:20.640>available Dr.
Keywords:
economic development, business, state statutes, Hawaii Revised Statutes, legislation, development strategy, state funding, infrastructure, employment opportunities, legislative intent, state legislation, development initiatives, 910, house, all
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 1829 on marine affairs. Most testimony was in strong support, with speakers from state agencies, ocean-tech companies, startups, nonprofits, and community groups backing the creation of an Office of Marine Affairs and a marine affairs coordinator under HTDC. Supporters said the measure would better coordinate ocean policy, strengthen the blue economy, and help Hawaii capture jobs, investment, and innovation in marine-related industries. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.
The committee then took up HTDC-related measures, including HB 1615 and HB 1613, which also drew broad support from business, technology, and economic development interests. Testifiers said the bills would strengthen Hawaii’s technology and innovation ecosystem, support advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, and help build a more diversified economy with higher-wage jobs. The committee also heard HB 1607 on public procurement and HB 1772 on small business procurement; state procurement staff and several business groups supported efforts to expand opportunities for local firms, while one speaker from the city’s economic revitalization commission argued that a flat 5% preference could help keep more revenue and jobs in-state.
On HB 1636 relating to shopping carts, the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition, saying the bill would penalize businesses for carts that are stolen rather than abandoned and would add costs that could especially burden small and local retailers. HB 1810 on charitable solicitation drew support from Goodwill Hawaii and other nonprofits, who said the bill would improve transparency around donation bins and protect donors from misleading for-profit collection practices; the Attorney General’s office asked for a delayed effective date to allow system changes and staffing. HB 1782 on AI and the protection of minors received broad support from state agencies, educators, and advocacy groups, but some business and retail representatives urged narrowing the definition of covered AI services so ordinary customer-service chatbots would not be swept in. Finally, HB 1759 on theft drew opposition from the Public Defender’s Office, which said the bill could create overly harsh penalties and should include defense representation on any task force; the office also noted existing laws already address conspiracy and related conduct.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
FIN Info Briefing - Wed Jan 8, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- >
umun <00:45:31.400>the <00:45:32.160>to <00:45:32.280>ramp <00:45:32.520 - that's correct<00:45:39.000>
so <00:45:39.079>do <00:45:39.160>you <00:45:39.280 - >
have <00:45:39.359>a <00:45:39.480>plan <00:45:39.720>to <00:45:39.920>< - > up<00:45:43.040>
our <00:45:43.280>plan <00:45:43.559>is <00:45:43.680> - :45:04.760>
Grace <06:45:05.638>um <06:45:05.920>in <06:45:06.240>in <06:45
Summary:
The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025.
The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions.
Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Ways and Means (01/28/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- :45:05.319>
to <00:45:05.839>ask <00:45:06.040>a <00:45:06.160>court laws - <00:45:06.640>
at <00:45:06.760>it <00:45:07.000>but <00:45:07.119>I < - 00:45:07.240>
I <00:45:07.319>don't <00:45:07.480>know <00:45:07.680>that's <00:45:50.839>in <00:45:51.040>New <00:45:51.280>Hampshire <00:45:52.079> - Boston<00:45:53.800>
is <00:45:53.960>that <00:45:54.160>correct <00:45:54.920><
Summary:
The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts.
Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs.
Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 02/13/25
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- /c><00:45:05.160>
there's <00:45:05.319>a <00:45:05.440>mortgage <00:45:06.000>- <00:45:14.960>
this <00:45:15.240>will <00:45:16.000>uh <00:45:16.200>but - <00:45:21.160>
to <00:45:21.319>one <00:45:21.480>that <00:45:21.680>exists - :45:28.559>
is <00:45:28.880>the <00:45:29.040>list <00:45:29.240>of <00:45- >
happy <00:45:32.119>to <00:45:32.240>ask <00:45:32.440>any <00:45:32.760 - <00:45:14.960>
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation Feb 26th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Today, we will review the administration spending plan for wildfire and forest resilience, Chapter 4,
- and Chapter 4 of Proposition 4.
- I think when you get into implementation, we generally try and look at it within each chapter.
- So it's really an overall bond thing, but we do look at It within each chapter as well.
- The chapter, but is not, as far as I saw in your proposal.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Transcript Highlights:
- came out somewhere between 40 and 45, so we kind of went with $42,000.
- The first bill, House 12, makes some common-sense changes to the thresholds in Chapter 30B, House 12
- makes some common-sense changes to the thresholds in Chapter 30B.
- Snow plowing is exempt from Chapter 30B, but snow hauling and snow removal are not.
- It proposes a simple change to Chapter 30B.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard testimony on several procurement-related bills. Senator Lovely and steel industry witnesses supported S. 2167/H. 3411, which would require preference for U.S. manufacturers on public construction projects using steel and other materials. They argued that Canadian and other foreign fabricators underbid Massachusetts firms because of exchange rates, subsidies, and different labor-cost structures, causing local job losses and economic leakage. Committee members asked about tariffs, market share, and whether the bill should be folded into broader municipal legislation; the witnesses said public work should stay in Massachusetts and that the bill would help preserve local industry and jobs.
The committee also heard strong support for S. 2107, a bill to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in state and municipal contracting. Work Inc. testified that a preference for contractors employing people with disabilities would expand competitive employment, reduce reliance on public assistance, and generate net savings for taxpayers. Members asked about the estimated savings and whether recent federal changes to benefits would affect the numbers; the witness said the figures may need updating but that the underlying employment opportunity remains important. Another bill, H. 3339/S. 2187, would prohibit state and municipal contracts for new artificial turf fields containing zinc, plastic, or intentionally added PFAS. Sponsors and supporters cited health risks, heat retention, injuries, and PFAS contamination, while committee members discussed local bans, disposal problems, and whether indoor facilities or alternative materials could be used.
Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro testified in favor of H. 12 and H. 13, which would update Chapter 30B procurement thresholds and allow municipalities to bundle snow hauling and removal with plowing contracts. He said the changes would give local governments more flexibility, reduce confusion between school and municipal procurement rules, and make snow contracts more attractive to vendors. Members questioned whether quasi-public agencies and state entities should also be subject to 30B, and Shapiro said many public entities have their own procedures but that transparency and fairness should apply across the board. The committee also heard support for S. 2150, a software licensing bill aimed at preventing vendor lock-in by ensuring state agencies can run purchased software in the infrastructure that best fits their needs; the witness said restrictive licensing can drive up costs and create cybersecurity and modernization problems, and that similar laws have already passed in several other states.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- >
pass <01:45:24.320>with <01:45:24.560>amendment <01:45:24.960>for <01:45 - <01:45:30.239>
The <01:45:30.480>bill <01:45:30.880>is <01:45:31.119>now< - <01:45:32.400>
The <01:45:32.639>first <01:45:32.960>order <01:45:33.199> - Seeing<01:45:40.719>
none, <01:45:41.360>the <01:45:41.679>question <01:45:41.920 - Are you<01:45:45.040>
ready <01:45:45.280>for <01:45:45.440>the <01:45:45.679>
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JDC, JDC, JDC Public Hearings 02-11-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Of course, we typically don't have hearings on Wednesday, why don't we try for 9:45 tomorrow?
- So the remainder of this first agenda, which is SB 283 and SB 694, we'll hear those tomorrow at 9:45,
- Okay, so these three will be put at 9:45, and then we have a DM agenda as well that we were supposed
- tomorrow so the the for um 9:45 tomorrow so the the remainder<01:18:44.440>
of <01:18:45.120>< - and we'll take up 931 tomorrow at 9:45 and we'll take up 931 agenda<01:18:56.320>
which <01:18
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee heard SB 1231, which would repeal the Parentage Uniform Act of 1973 and update Hawaii’s parentage laws, including parts of the Uniform Parentage Act of 2017. Supporters said the current statutes are outdated and do not adequately address assisted reproduction, surrogacy, and modern family formation. The Attorney General’s office supported the bill with technical amendments, including conforming changes to the Probate Code and child support provisions, and several testifiers urged passage as a needed modernization of the law.
A major point of disagreement was Part 10, which concerns donor anonymity. Some supporters, including members of the task force, the Uniform Law Commission, fertility and family law practitioners, and LGBTQ+ advocates, backed the bill as written or said it should move forward even if Part 10 is removed. Others, including donor-conceived adults, parents, and advocacy groups, opposed Part 10 and urged the committee to adopt the 2024 version of Article 9 or delete Part 10 entirely, arguing that anonymous donation harms donor-conceived people’s access to genetic, medical, and identity information and that anonymity is not realistic in the DNA-testing era. One task force member and attorney said she supported the bill but preferred removing Part 10 if necessary to pass the rest.
The hearing included extensive public testimony both in support and opposition, with many individuals describing personal experiences with adoption, IVF, surrogacy, and donor conception. No committee vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on State and Local Government - 04/01/25
State and Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Plastic bag waste<01:45:07.840>
costs <01:45:08.159>motans <01:45:08.960>$ <01:45 - Microplastics are<01:45:15.840>
in <01:45:16.000>our <01:45:16.159>brain <01:45:16.400 - sperm, placenta,<01:45:18.400>
and <01:45:18.639>in <01:45:18.800>the <01:45:18.960 - >
food <01:45:19.119>we <01:45:19.360>eat <01:45:19.600>and <01:45:19.840> - <01:45:21.119>
Tying <01:45:21.440>the <01:45:21.600>hands <01:45:21.840>
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- :00.160>
Alla <00:45:01.160>and <00:45:01.319>see <00:45:01.599>where <00: - /c><00:45:04.200>
we <00:45:04.359>agreed <00:45:04.640>to <00:45:04.760>do - <00:45:05.520>
this <00:45:05.640>is <00:45:05.880>exactly <00:45:06.440>what - >
get <00:45:09.559>input <00:45:10.000>from <00:45:10.240>the <00:45:10.640- 45:16.599>
story <00:45:17.000>with <00:45:17.599>u <00:45:18.599>responsible - <00:45:05.520>
Summary:
The joint hearing focused on Senate Bill 4, which would transfer stewardship of Mauna ʻAla from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Committee chairs opened the meeting with housekeeping and noted the hearing was live-streamed, with a two-minute limit for testimony. Director Don Chang of the Board of Land and Natural Resources said DLNR had been working with OHA and had agreed to transfer certain lands subject to due diligence, including Kahana Valley and a parcel in Waimānalo, but urged the committee to finalize those mutually agreed parcels before taking on something new. He also described the current arrangement at Mauna ʻAla as a collaborative one involving the state and the royal trusts, with the state handling routine maintenance and the trusts contributing to larger repairs and improvements on a project-by-project basis rather than through direct annual appropriations.
Testimony was mixed. Supporters argued that OHA is better positioned to steward the site because of its cultural mission, Native Hawaiian governance, and ability to protect sacred places with greater cultural competency and accountability. Several speakers emphasized that Mauna ʻAla is not a state park and should be cared for by those with direct cultural ties and experience, and some cited OHA’s recent financial reforms and partnerships as reasons for confidence. Others, including representatives of the Daughters and Sons of the Hawaiian Warriors Makakoa, opposed the bill, citing concerns about OHA’s past financial management, transparency, and the need for more public information and testimony before any transfer. One testifier also argued the land transfer itself was unlawful and rooted in the history of the overthrow and annexation.
Members and testifiers also discussed the historical role of the royal trusts and family caretakers at Mauna ʻAla, with one descendant describing a long family stewardship and supporting OHA only if amended language preserved checks and balances and protected iwi and burial grounds. Another speaker said the family recognized James Mayo as kahu of Mauna ʻAla and supported the bill because prior DLNR efforts had not sufficiently protected traditional and customary rights. The hearing ended after public testimony and committee questions, with no vote or final action taken in the portion provided.