Transcript Highlights:

• Let her tell you how cushy life was under Castro's communist socialist dictatorship.
• was under Castro's communist cushy life was under Castro's communist socialist<00:34:30.240><c> dictatorship
• </c><00:34:31.359><c> I</c><00:34:31.599><c> yield</c><00:34:31.839><c> the</c> socialist dictatorship
• I yield the socialist dictatorship.
• resolution on this falsehood and advance a false equation between democratic socialism and communist dictatorship

Bills: HCR58

Keywords: socialism, government control, dictatorship, individual liberty, freedom

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> authoritarian dictatorship is like. authoritarian dictatorship is like.
• This is what it looks like in an authoritarian dictatorship."
• This is what it looks like in an authoritarian dictatorship."
• This is what it looks like in an authoritarian dictatorship."
• This is what it looks like in an authoritarian dictatorship."

Bills: HB4305 , HB2965 , HR916

Keywords: small business, regulatory burden, advocacy, government oversight, compliance assistance, Red Tape Hotline, regulatory budget, Small Business Administration, fiscal responsibility, rulemaking

Transcript Highlights:

• derivative swap contracts, as they would tell you, on election outcomes, on the overturning of dictatorships
• derivative swap contracts, as they would tell you, on election outcomes, on the overturning of dictatorships
• derivative swap contracts, as they would tell you, on election outcomes, on the overturning of dictatorships
• 25:50.960><c> the</c><00:25:51.200><c> overturning</c><00:25:51.840><c> of</c><00:25:51.960><c> dictatorships
• </c> on uh the overturning of dictatorships on uh the overturning of dictatorships in<00:25:52.960><c

Committee: House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• , that if we don't act, we will have a dictatorship.
• ><c> a</c><04:07:13.800><c> dictatorship</c><04:07:14.800><c> the</c> will have a dictatorship the will
• have a dictatorship the consequences<04:07:15.720><c> of</c><04:07:15.880><c> our</c><04:07:16.159><
• </c><04:07:22.760><c> I</c> and convict would be a dictatorship I and convict would be a dictatorship
• develop while they are in dictatorship develop while they are in office<04:07:37.800><c> this</c><04

Bills: HR35

Keywords: Delta Sigma Theta, sorority, anniversary, community service, historical recognition

Transcript Highlights:

• because, you know, the far left reporting for duty, and I can tell you that our caucus is not a dictatorship
• caucus</c><00:10:36.800><c> is</c><00:10:37.279><c> not</c><00:10:37.519><c> a</c><00:10:37.959><c> dictatorship
• </c> that our caucus is not a dictatorship. that our caucus is not a dictatorship.

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• foreign policy, he codified the requirement for the United States to lift sanctions on the Cuban dictatorship
• For the United States to lift sanctions on the Cuban dictatorship, reminding the world of the brutality

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, presentation of the colors, and the national anthem. The chamber welcomed cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, former Senate presidents and colleagues, and other guests. Senators also observed moments of silence honoring former Senator Geraldine Thompson and former Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and the Senate dedicated its 2024-2026 handbook to Thompson in recognition of her work in education and civics. The main action of the day was adoption of SCR 1294, which authorized the House and Senate to meet in joint session in the House chamber at 11 a.m. that day to receive a message from Governor Ron DeSantis. The resolution was adopted without objection, rules were waived, and it was immediately certified to the House. The Secretary was also directed to notify the House and Governor that the Senate was convened and ready to proceed with the 2025 regular session. In a lengthy opening-day address, the President outlined the session’s priorities, emphasizing rural Florida, citrus and agriculture, government efficiency, IT and cybersecurity reform, administrative rule review, affordability, insurance and property tax relief, autism services, veterans’ support, mental health and child welfare legislation, Everglades restoration, public school administrative efficiency, and food insecurity. No substantive debate or roll-call votes were taken beyond the unanimous adoption of the concurrent resolution. The Senate then adjourned until March 12, 2025, or upon the call of the President.

Transcript Highlights:

• They survived the dictatorship of the 1940s and 1950s and the fascist bombing of their homes in Guernica
• They survived the dictatorship of the 1940s and 1950s and the fascist bombing of their homes in Guernica
• This flag was indeed outlawed during a dictatorship.
• It was outlawed, yes, because of a military dictatorship who allowed only the Spanish flag and only the

Committee: House State Affairs

Bills: SB146 , HR973 , HR859 , HR906 , HB2449 , HB2399 , HR866 , HB2482 , HB2444 , HB2458 , HB1721 , HB2480 , HB1479 , HB1442 , HR1402 , HR617 , HR452

Keywords: nonconsensual, visual depictions, digital forgery, intimate content, online platforms, privacy, protection, harm prevention, John F. Kennedy Center, Donald J. Trump, Federal arts funding, memorial designation, cultural institutions, Congressional authority, public arts programs, Hampden-Sydney College, anniversary, higher education, civic responsibility, liberal arts

Transcript Highlights:

• January 2026, the world witnessed millions of Iranians rise in peaceful defiance of the brutal dictatorship
• And whereas for years the people of Iran have endured dictatorship imposed against their will and have

Transcript Highlights:

• My friends, truth be told, we are now into a de facto dictatorship with a de facto dictator, not a dictatorship
• <02:43:52.399><c> with</c> dictatorship with dictatorship with himself<02:43:54.439><c> as</c><02:43:
• </c> are now into a de facto dictatorship are now into a de facto dictatorship with<02:44:09.439><c>
• You reduce the country to a de facto<03:07:21.840><c> dictatorship.
• </c> facto dictatorship. facto dictatorship.

Bills: HJR88 , HJR78

Keywords: HJR88, H.J.Res. 88, Congressional Review Act, CRA, EPA waiver, California waiver, Advanced Clean Cars II, clean cars, vehicle emissions, auto emissions, motor vehicle pollution, engine pollution, California Air Resources Board, CARB, zero-emission vehicles, ZEV, electric vehicles, EV mandate, preemption, federal disapproval

Transcript Highlights:

• January 2026, the world witnessed millions of Iranians rise in peaceful defiance of the brutal dictatorship
• And whereas for years the people of Iran have endured dictatorship imposed against their will and have

Summary: The House convened, took attendance, approved the prior journal, and recognized a number of guests and proclamations, including a proclamation supporting freedom, life, and liberty for the people of Iran. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider several Senate bills. SB 1166 and SB 1252 were reported do pass without controversy. SB 1184 drew debate over a floor amendment that would have added the pride flag to the list of flags HOAs and condo associations could not prohibit; the amendment was rejected on a 21-32 division vote, and the bill was then reported do pass. The House also entered an additional Committee of the Whole to amend SB 1092, adopted a floor amendment setting an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027, and reported the bill do pass as amended. On third reading, SB 1020, a special license plate bill benefiting the Arizona Space Commission and related space education efforts, passed 35-21 with several members explaining votes in support of space industry development and in opposition because a proposed community college scholarship plate was not included. SB 1247, an emergency measure relating to health care institutions, passed 55-1 and cleared the two-thirds threshold for its emergency clause. The House also concurred in Senate amendments to HB 2307, then later passed HB 2307 unanimously as an emergency measure relating to dangerous and incompetent defendants. The chamber also considered a bill repealing Cesar Chavez Day and replacing it with a different observance tied to the farm worker movement. Members on both sides spoke at length about sexual abuse allegations involving Cesar Chavez, the importance of standing with survivors, and the need to honor farm workers and the broader movement rather than one individual. The bill ultimately passed 48-8 with the two-thirds emergency requirement. The House then received announcements, including caucus and committee meeting notices, a remembrance of Christian Petillo, and a congratulatory note for the University of Arizona men’s basketball team, before adjourning until March 31, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• 02.359><c> and</c><00:37:02.720><c> the</c><00:37:02.920><c> CCP</c><00:37:03.839><c> which</c> dictatorship
• country and the CCP which dictatorship country and the CCP which is<00:37:04.200><c> called</c><00:37
• </c> victims of their dictatorship victims of their dictatorship regime<00:38:41.400><c> and</c><00:38
• A Communist Party dictatorship country can be glorious to promote the language, the culture, and not
• A Communist Party dictatorship country can be glorious to promote the language, the culture, and not

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not my dictatorship.
• It's<01:43:22.239><c> not</c><01:43:22.480><c> my</c> It's not my It's not my dictatorship.<01:43:24.239
• 25.440><c> will</c><01:43:25.719><c> say</c><01:43:26.719><c> on</c><01:43:26.960><c> House</c> dictatorship
• Um, I will say on House dictatorship.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• parents are saying, "Hey, you got to wash dishes and there's no talking back cuz it's benevolent dictatorship
• 25:04.320><c> benevolent</c> talking back cuz it's benevolent talking back cuz it's benevolent dictatorship
• </c> dictatorship to when they get older." dictatorship to when they get older."

Summary: The joint committees on Education and Higher Education first heard HCR 75 and HR 67, which ask the Department of Education and the University of Hawaiʻi to assess criteria for building an educational pipeline and curriculum for advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. The Department of Education said it would stand on its written testimony, and UH supported the measure, noting existing community college and four-year programs related to the topic. Members asked how DOE promotes cybersecurity opportunities and whether it provides funding; DOE said schools usually connect with partners and its office works with them, but it does not have separate funding for such efforts. UH also explained that some advanced manufacturing concepts may overlap with 3D printing, material sciences, and entrepreneurship, and described P20 as a forum for aligning K-12 and higher education pathways. The committees then recessed the joint hearing and moved to the Education Committee agenda. The committee next heard HCR 46 and HR 39, which would make DOE recreational facilities available to the public during non-peak hours and non-school days. DOE said it already uses facilities agreements with insurance, liability waivers, indemnification, and certificates of insurance to protect schools. The Attorney General opposed the resolutions, warning that unrestricted public use without safeguards could create substantial liability and cost risks for the state. The measure’s introducer said the goal was to help underserved communities that lack access to public recreation spaces, and DOE said it would be open to joint-use arrangements with larger organizations but remained concerned about vandalism and liability. The committee also heard HCR 86 and HR 80 on creating an Aloha Civics working group, with DOE offering comments and Common Cause Hawaiʻi strongly supporting the idea. DOE described a civic learning and engagement task force that met with stakeholders, including UH and the PACE Commission, and produced recommendations such as building partnership inventories, integrating civic learning across grade levels, and aligning the work with DOE’s HA framework and learner outcomes. Common Cause said civic education can be implemented effectively and affordably, citing existing school projects such as ranked-choice voting and classroom constitutions. Later, the committee took up HCR 87 and HR 81, urging an annual Climate Week in public schools. DOE again stood on written comments, while the Climate Change and Health Working Group, Climate Future Forum, a student from Kaimuki High School, and other supporters argued that a dedicated week would ensure consistent climate education, build resilience, and connect climate issues to health, food security, and disaster preparedness. Supporters said existing climate-related opportunities are uneven across schools and that a formal Climate Week would create a more equitable approach. The committee then heard HCR 95 and HR 91 on informing students about changes to gun safety and storage laws; DOE asked for clarification on the measure’s intended outcome, and one individual testified in support. Finally, the committee heard HCR 104 and HR 100 on strengthening farm-to-school initiatives. DOE said it is already working to improve menus, emphasize local products, and meet with distributors to increase local procurement, while the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience offered food science, nutrition, and extension support. Climate Future Forum, the Hawaii Youth Food Council, and other supporters said farm-to-school efforts are important for student health, local farmers, and food sovereignty, noting that local food procurement in schools remains far below the state’s 30% by 2030 goal. DOE explained it is trying to provide distributors and farmers with more predictable demand and is meeting with distributors to set up next year’s supply chain.

Transcript Highlights:

• held in inhumane conditions that we used to think only existed in Soviet gulags or third world dictatorships
• . existed in Soviet gulags or third world dictatorships.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Summary: The hearing focused on the Safe Communities Act, House 2580 and Senate 1681, along with related proposals to limit local and state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, prohibit 287(g) agreements, and expand legal defense for immigrants. Most testimony came from advocates, attorneys, labor leaders, health care professionals, educators, and community members who argued that fear of ICE discourages immigrants from reporting crimes, seeking medical care, attending school, or cooperating with courts, and that a clear statewide policy would improve public safety, due process, and trust in institutions. Several speakers described personal or client experiences involving domestic violence, trafficking, workplace abuse, or children affected by deportation, and many emphasized economic harms to workers, families, and small businesses. Health care witnesses said immigration enforcement is causing patients to miss appointments, avoid emergency rooms, and delay preventive care, with resulting public health consequences. Labor and education representatives said immigrant workers and students are increasingly fearful, and that the state should not allow local police to act as ICE agents or enter 287(g) agreements. ACLU and coalition witnesses cited examples they said showed existing or recent collaboration between local agencies and ICE, including courthouse alerts, vehicle stops, and use of municipal spaces, while also arguing that the bill would still allow cooperation on criminal matters and public safety emergencies. One witness opposed the bill, arguing that serious criminal offenders should be deported and defending ICE’s role. Committee members asked several questions about whether the harms described were widespread or anecdotal, and about the distinction between assisting ICE in civil immigration arrests versus responding to violent or public safety emergencies. Witnesses said the bill was aimed at civil immigration enforcement, not criminal investigations or emergency situations. At the end of the hearing, a committee member requested a study on immigration enforcement’s effect on emergency room wait times, and the committee then adjourned without taking a vote on the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was widely debunked as false and untrue, but it's the kind of thing that you see in dictatorships
• This was widely debunked as false and untrue, but it's the kind of thing that you see in dictatorships
• MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT We are in a new space race today, unfortunately, with another communist dictatorship
• detection, surveillance and reconnaissance and global Communications to stay ahead of this communist dictatorship

Bills: HR818 , HR832 , HR825 , HR828 , HR804 , HR754 , HR788

Keywords: impeachment, judge, criminal conduct, judicial behavior, Supreme Court, assassination attempt, sentencing, ideology, National Chemistry Week, education, STEM careers, science promotion, public engagement, government transparency, communication, House of Representatives, appropriations, furlough, Federal agencies, military service

Transcript Highlights:

• Hugo Chavez used an Article V Convention to turn Venezuela into a Marxist dictatorship.

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

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• That would, of course, resemble a dictatorship.
• The only safeguard against them being a dictatorship is that the board governs by majority, but as taught
• being</c><01:05:41.680><c> a</c> Safeguard against them being a Safeguard against them being a dictatorship
• ><c> that</c><01:05:43.599><c> the</c><01:05:43.720><c> board</c><01:05:44.079><c> governs</c> dictatorship
• is that the board governs dictatorship is that the board governs by<01:05:44.760><c> majority</c><01

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committee opened by outlining testimony procedures and then heard SB 376 on tax credits, which would create a home fire safety improvement tax credit. Testimony from the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi urged that the concept would be better handled as a subsidy program and raised drafting concerns about unclear definitions and eligibility. Later, the committees agreed to pass SB 376 with amendments, including making the credit nonrefundable, clarifying third-party certification, deleting recapture-related language, and making technical changes. Members then heard SB 417, which would make unlicensed contractor work during or within five years after an emergency or disaster a class B felony. The Contractors License Board was listed for comments, and the Subcontractors Association supported the measure. The committees ultimately recommended passage with technical, non-substantive amendments and an adjusted effective date, and the measure was adopted. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on SB 782, which would require free and accessible voice communication services for incarcerated people and prohibit state agencies from profiting from those services, while also directing the PUC to set standards and providing funding for the SAVIN victim notification program. Supporters, including the Public Defender, ACLU of Hawaiʻi, Worth Rises, and others, argued the bill would reduce costs for families, improve reentry, and align adult corrections with the juvenile system. Opponents, including the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority, and SAVIN-related witnesses, warned that changing the funding structure could weaken victim notification and safety services. The committees deferred SB 782. The committee also heard SB 999 on fireworks, which would repeal permissible consumer fireworks uses, impose civil penalties and forfeiture remedies, and create a forfeiture special fund for safety education. The Department of Law Enforcement and Honolulu Police Department supported the bill, while fireworks industry representatives and others opposed it, arguing prohibition would be ineffective and urging stronger enforcement and education instead. The committees deferred SB 999 for further consideration, and SB 1136 on insurance was also deferred after insurers and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs opposed it. In the later joint session with the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, SB 744 on condominium loans was heard with support from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and banking groups, while one testifier raised concerns that the program could function like C-PACE financing and add risky debt to condominium associations; testimony and discussion continued on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• whether it's a circuit judge or a full-fledged or an associate circuit judge, it leads to tend to a dictatorship

Committees: House Judiciary , House Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• I lived under dictatorship and censorship And I strongly oppose this bill. I hope you do, too.
• against anti-semitism and for human rights in Argentina and I traveled there during the Argentine dictatorship

Committee: House Education