Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, our expenses have driven up, and our profitability is not due to the expenses within the
• But you know and it our expenses rate.
• But you know and it our expenses have<00:25:11.120> driven<00:25:11.440> up<00:25:11.600
• <00:25:13.919> within<00:25:14.240> the is not due to the expenses within the is not
• due to the expenses within the state.<00:25:15.039> So,<00:25:15.360> while<00:25:15.520

Bills: HB1991, HB1776, HB1897, HB1900

Keywords: liquor tax, alcohol, inflation adjustment, small craft breweries, public health, tenant rights, housing stability, landlord-tenant code, eviction prevention, multilingual resources, condominium, dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration, attorneys' fees, common expenses, construction defects, building code, statute of repose, statute of limitations

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1991, which would change Hawaii’s liquor excise tax structure to an ABV-based system. The Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii took no position and stood on written comments. Supporters, including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and an individual testifier who described surviving a drunk-driving crash, argued that higher alcohol taxes reduce alcohol-related harms, save lives, and generate additional state revenue. The public health witness cited alcohol-related harms as a major preventable cause of death and said the tax increase would have only a small annual cost for most consumers. Most industry testimony was in opposition. Representatives of Lanikai Brewing Company, Maui Brewing Company, the Wine Institute, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association said the bill would sharply raise taxes on beer and wine, squeeze already thin margins, and threaten local jobs and businesses. They argued Hawaii producers already face high costs for labor, energy, shipping, and compliance, and said an ABV-based tax would be difficult to administer, would require additional testing and labeling work, and could reduce consumer choice. Several industry witnesses urged lawmakers to instead adopt a small-producer or class 18 carveout, with one suggesting a cap tied to 60,000 barrels. Committee members questioned the brewers about alcohol content testing, labeling, and whether smaller producers already measure ABV. Witnesses said many local producers do not certify ABV for in-state sales, that yeast and fermentation can vary by batch, and that an ABV-based system could require more testing than current practice. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• A common regulatory structure is obviously more efficient than having some entities...
• They share common corporate services, such as financial, legal, and maintenance, etc., that go on with

Bills: HB68, HB140, HB168

Keywords: foreign investment, agriculture, property rights, critical infrastructure, sanctions, HB140, private sewer systems, wastewater utilities, Public Service Commission, PSC jurisdiction, utility regulation, rate setting, rate consolidation, affiliated systems, common ownership, private utilities, sewer rates, wastewater management, Alabama utilities, Jefferson County Board of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• So, just an expense that was going out.
• Those expenses start in utero.
• that come... ...know the types of expenses that come prior to a child being born.
• There aren't going to be any expenses related to a child even before they know they're pregnant.
• And again, those expenses for that viable birth do not start once that baby is born; they start prior

Bills: SB156, SB134, SB108, SB47, SB88, SB89, SB106, SB18, SB9, HB38, HB54

Keywords: habitual felony offender, resentencing, Alabama Department of Corrections, victim notification, criminal justice reform, life sentences, parole eligibility, pardon, parole, law enforcement, GPS monitoring, data sharing, mail theft, stolen mail, criminal penalties, personally identifying information, felony, misdemeanor, SB47, Alabama

Bills: HB97, HB455, HB97, HB455

Keywords: absentee ballot, voting, elections, voter registration, electoral process, defective affidavit, voting rights, HB455, Clarke County, coroner, coroner's office, county commission, local act, local legislation, mileage reimbursement, county vehicle, office expenses, operating expenses, retroactive ratification, remedial and curative

Transcript Highlights:

• students in private schools do shy away from these dual enrollment classes because... ...of the extra expense
• It's very common for a community college student to have hours at a university prior to their transfer

Bills: SB 49

Keywords: Galveston County, legal expenses, appropriation, litigation, state funding

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 heard several higher education bills and took public testimony on each. Senate Bill 60 would let public junior college libraries donate outdated, duplicative, or valueless materials instead of treating them as surplus property; no public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 49 would expand performance-tier funding incentives so community colleges are also rewarded for student transfers to private four-year universities; it also received no public testimony and was left pending. Senate Bill 365 would allow higher education institutions to choose a transcript lookback period between 5 and 10 years for adult undergraduates seeking to waive older transcripts. Senator Eckhardt and witness Daniel Arrevalo described how old academic records can block adults from returning to college; the bill was left pending after testimony. Senate Bill 895 would expand the FAST dual-credit program beyond public school students to include eligible private school and homeschool students, with support from the Texas Private Schools Association, the Texas Homeschool Coalition, and a coordinating board witness explaining the funding structure; it too was left pending. Senate Bill 1400 would clarify what counts as a transfer for performance-tier funding by allowing students with 30 or fewer prior university credit hours to still be counted as transfer students when moving from a public junior college to a general academic institution. Former Representative Leighton Schubert testified that the change would address funding losses and better reflect modern student pathways; after testimony, the bill was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I haven't heard any politicians saying, "I want a big, expensive, bloated, inefficient government."
• in-depth analysis of the administrative costs for the PIP and SEIB boards and their administrative expenses
• So we... ...administrative expenses.
• So, we specifically looked at their administrative expenses, and while we demonstrated that they perform

Bills: SB197, HB140, SB214, HB214, HB147, HB270, SB73

Keywords: business regulation, nonprofit entities, electronic filing, merger agreements, limited liability companies, partnerships, property transfer, termination fees, HB140, private sewer systems, wastewater utilities, Public Service Commission, PSC jurisdiction, utility regulation, rate setting, rate consolidation, affiliated systems, common ownership, private utilities, sewer rates

Bills: SB 302, SB 1335, SB 1734, SB 1760, SB 1975, SB 2127

Keywords: probate court, statutory judge, reimbursement, court costs, court proceedings, judicial assignments, judge assignment, cost reimbursement, judicial expenses, estate management, statutory requirement, court expenses, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, guardianship, incapacitated persons, guardianship fees

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's you're going to be extremely expensive to try to educate those voters.

Bills: HB3310, HB4311, HB3841, HB3024, HB3075

Keywords: purchasing, compliance, state employees, longevity pay, contract management, unclaimed property, service charges, property fund, accountability, government transparency, local development, economic impact, voter approval, tax increment financing, review committee, public finance, blight, salary increase, bonus limits, job performance

Bills: SB137

Keywords: sewer, wastewater, public service commission, PSC, utility regulation, private utility, regulated utility, affiliated system, consolidation, rate jurisdiction, rate setting, wastewater management entity, common ownership, control, Jefferson County Board of Health, local constitutional amendment, public utilities, Alabama Code Title 37, Alabama Code Title 22, certification

Bills: HB1, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• low and result in thousands of shareholder proposals each year that fail adoption, but are very expensive
• shareholder proposal can cost a company anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million in legal and administrative expenses
• At the expense of local populations.

Bills: HB74, HB175

Keywords: environmental project, public money, political subdivision, greenhouse gas emissions, federal law compliance, renewable energy, water conservation, retroactive child support, child conception, paternity, family law, health care expenses

Transcript Highlights:

• This seems like an absolute common sense bill and thank you for bringing it forward.
• can't you why can't you guys do common can't you why can't you guys do common sense<01:26:32.159
• Members, there is more common here than there is conflict. And so I thank you for that.
• <01:44:18.880> And common here than there is conflict.
• And common here than there is conflict.

Bills: HF3490, HF4040

Keywords: education finance, scholarship-granting organizations, charitable purposes, student scholarships, nonpublic schools, K-12 education, tax credit, advance payment, Minnesota tax law, child education expenses, taxpayer assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I've seen it suggested that HF 2149 will make groceries more expensive for shoppers in Minnesota.
• have it is less expensive for me to have it is less expensive for me to order<01:03:49.760> from
• These policies drive up costs and make products more expensive for Minnesota consumers.
• costs and make products more expensive costs and make products more expensive for<01:07:20.680><
• insurance policy but it's less expensive insurance policy but it's less expensive than<01:30:01.400

Bills: HF2228, HF46, HF856, HF2149, HF2215

Keywords: homeowners insurance, property insurance, commercial property insurance, insurance affordability, insurance market stabilization, reinsurance, catastrophic reinsurance fund, self-insured pool, premium costs, coverage notice, liability reform, climate risk, climate change, housing affordability, multifamily housing, rental housing, common interest communities, cooperatives, small business insurance, Minnesota Commerce Department

Transcript Highlights:

• The reductions in revenue estimates require reductions in recurring expenses in the budget proposal.
• to DCFS, $8 million for offender medical expenses incurred by DOC, $3.5 million for various disaster
• This bill appropriates $94.5 million in State General Fund for the expenses of the legislative branch
• The legislative expenses bill provides for the expenses of the House of Representatives, the Senate,
• , including employees' salaries and expenses.

Bills: HB1, HB2, HB3, HB312, HB313, HB314, HB383, HB983, HB1126, HCR3

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, capital outlay, budget, infrastructure, appropriation, general obligation bonds, bond authorization, capital improvement, financial management, state treasury, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year

Transcript Highlights:

• You would think that would be something that would be common, but we don't really have a really strong
• possibly by individuals accessing lower-cost behavioral health crisis services in lieu of possibly more expensive
• the ED to have a tooth pulled there by someone who is not trained for that, and it is much more expensive
• That's provided for payment of extraordinary medical and dental expenses of firemen and law enforcement
• That's provided for payment of extraordinary medical and dental expenses of firemen and law enforcement

Bills: HB12, HB145, HB222, HB291, HB430, HB821, HB874, HB909, HB951, HB979, HB1193

Keywords: survivor benefits, law enforcement, reserve officer, auxiliary officer, public safety, firefighters, medical expenses, dental expenses, disability benefits, Medicaid, dental coverage, healthcare access, medical necessity, Louisiana Department of Health, health insurance, provider agreements, contracting actions, participating facilities, network status, survivors benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a common sense safeguard that raises the standard for child welfare and judicial integrity across
• opportunity to receive reimbursement for their share of the reasonable and necessary health care expenses
• This bill ensures that a father receives credit for any expenses that have been previously paid.
• Excuse me, postnatal expenses are approximately $20,000 per mother.
• It may not be appropriate for the father to have to pay, for example, out-of-network expenses if the

Bills: SB387, SB1335, HB1671, SB1760, SB1839, SB1923, HB1928, HB4942, HB5628, HB5642, HB1980

Keywords: judicial bond, guardianship, probate law, county judge, statutory county court, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, retroactive child support, parentage, genetic testing, family code, child's conception, incapacitated persons, court proceedings, guardianship fees, estate management, probate

Bills: SB302, SB1335, SB1734, SB1760, SB1975, SB2127

Keywords: probate court, statutory judge, reimbursement, court costs, court proceedings, judicial assignments, judge assignment, cost reimbursement, judicial expenses, estate management, statutory requirement, court expenses, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, real property, deed fraud, title fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• That should help our courts with expense and the burden of providing personal service alone and allow
• So these are all common sense changes.
• Property owners can often face expensive legal fees just to clear these fraudulent claims.
• So, again, the idea behind this was to avoid the expense of that defrauded individual.
• The process can be challenging and expensive for handling title, and so we had an excellent A solution

Bills: SB302, SB1335, SB1734, SB1760, SB1975, SB2127

Keywords: probate court, statutory judge, reimbursement, court costs, court proceedings, judicial assignments, judge assignment, cost reimbursement, judicial expenses, estate management, statutory requirement, court expenses, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, real property, deed fraud, title fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, that should help our courts, um, with expense and the burden of providing personal service alone
• So these are all common sense changes to the estates code.
• Property owners can often face expensive legal fees just to clear these fraudulent claims.
• So, again, the idea behind this was to avoid the expense of that defrauded individual and even the grantee
• Uh, the process can be, can be challenging and expensive for handling title, and so we had an excellent

Bills: SB 302, SB 1335, SB 1734, SB 1760, SB 1975, SB 2127

Keywords: probate court, statutory judge, reimbursement, court costs, court proceedings, judicial assignments, judge assignment, cost reimbursement, judicial expenses, estate management, statutory requirement, court expenses, estates, inheritance, representative duties, court authority, personal representative, real property, deed fraud, title fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Pruning may result in complete removal, a limitation of expenses that are reimbursable, or limiting the
• that reimburseable or limiting expenses that reimburseable or limiting the<00:09:17.519> award
• Second, MHC reviews applicants' expenses to ensure alignment with legacy requirements.
• If expenses are not eligible, MHC staff will remove those expenses.
• The application will then proceed forward only with the expenses that are legacy eligible.

Bills: HF4148

Keywords: Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, Outdoor Heritage Fund, executive director, natural resources, conservation, wetlands, prairies, forests, wildlife habitat, fish and game, bipartisan hiring, interview panel, legislative branch, Minnesota Statutes 97A.056, administrative expenses, nonpartisan staff, council governance, environment and natural resources