Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, as a small business owner, you know, I am the owner of Cerveza X Teca, a local microbrewery
• As a small business, especially in these times, it's critical that we're efficient.
• You know, that it's important that it be balanced and fair for small businesses as it's regulated.
• The ADMT regulations would impact a small businesses such as the pandemic had our businesses and the
• small businesses.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this is an area of concern for me and my people that I represent, who are small business people.
• The first being, how is this going to... ...impact the small business?
• How does this help small businesses in our area?
• And first, I want to say that the small businesses are the businesses that need the help of the system
• Now, many of these small businesses won't probably know who to contact initially or whatever.

Committee: House Labor & Industrial Relations

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 680 by Representative Weibel, which would modernize Louisiana’s workforce development system by consolidating strategy and administrative functions at the state level while preserving local input. After adopting two sets of technical amendments and a larger amendment package that added a transition advisory team, consultation requirements with local workforce partners, and other planning and governance changes, the committee heard extensive testimony from the author, the Secretary of Louisiana Works, parish and local workforce representatives, and a witness from Utah describing that state’s consolidation experience. Supporters said the bill would reduce overhead, direct more money to training and services, improve coordination, and better align workforce programs with regional labor needs, while several members pressed for assurances that local boards, parishes, cities, and small businesses would remain involved. The committee ultimately adopted the amendments and reported HB 680 favorably with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 780 by Representative Furman, a workers’ compensation bill aimed at reducing litigation and speeding dispute resolution. After adopting technical amendments and a separate amendment set allowing authorized agents or attorneys to prepare certain notices, members also adopted a committee amendment deleting a statutory definition of “arbitrary and capricious” after concerns were raised that the language could create confusion or conflict with existing jurisprudence. The author and supporting attorneys argued the bill would restore an expedited preliminary determination process, create a single standard for attorney fees, and reduce costs for employers by limiting unnecessary litigation and delays. They said the changes would not affect an injured worker’s choice of physician or existing penalty provisions, and that the bill mainly addressed notice and dispute procedures. Opponents, including attorneys representing injured workers, argued the bill would make it harder for workers to recover penalties and attorney’s fees when benefits are delayed or denied, and said the new standard could favor insurers that are understaffed or slow to process claims. They also criticized the shift from reasonableness to a more restrictive standard and raised concerns about delayed payments and the lack of transparency around defense costs. After hearing testimony from both sides, the committee continued discussion of the bill with these issues still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the legislature um and a pro business the legislature um and a pro business growth<00:12:12.000>
• And there's a small community.
• There's a small community.
• And there's a small community.
• </c> for small municipalities. for small municipalities.

Bills: HB0002 , HB0022

Committee: Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Keywords: building permits, local government, residential construction, permit timelines, code compliance, municipal officers, recall election, petition requirements, local governance, voter participation, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> small business owners uh in the state. small business owners uh in the state.
• Think about those small businesses losing 90% of their business.
• Chair. ...those small businesses losing 90% of their business.
• These are businesses, small businesses all across our state.
• ><c> businesses</c> These are businesses, small businesses These are businesses, small businesses all

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee, this is a small business bill that, although it deals with breweries, it really helps out
• the small business community.
• This is a small business bill that, although it deals with breweries, it really helps out the small business
• Again, just helping out the small business community. That's pretty much the gist of it.
• Although this bill is about alcohol, it's also about Idaho agriculture, ag tourism, and small business

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on evening and weekend activity, have yet And many small businesses, particularly those dependent on
• It feels like this is an opportunity for the small nightlife business owner to be self-sustainable, to
• Even in a— Was housed inside the Department of Small Businesses.
• It acknowledged that hospitality businesses are small businesses and they need clarity, It acknowledged
• that hospitality businesses are small businesses, and they need clarity, support, and support, not multi-agency

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• May is Small Business Month, so what a perfect time to present this bill.
• As a result, businesses, particularly small businesses and small mom-and-pop property owners, are now
• routinely... ...particularly small businesses and small mom-and-pop property owners are now routinely
• I really hope that we can continue to help small businesses during this time of Small Business Month.
• Stimulating local economies means supporting small businesses.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation met as a subcommittee and announced that all bills on the agenda had revenue impacts placing them on the suspense file, so none were eligible for immediate vote. The chair also reviewed procedural rules, including the deadline for position letters and the suspense-file threshold, and later established a quorum before proceeding through the agenda. Most measures were presented, heard, and then referred to suspense without committee votes. Several bills focused on tax credits or exclusions tied to housing and property. AB 1606 proposed a five-year tax credit for small businesses facing cleanup costs from illegal dumping and encampments; AB 1971 would clarify that home-hardening retrofits are not assessable for property tax purposes; AB 2394 would create a capital gains exclusion to encourage long-term homeowners to sell and downsize; AB 1714 would offer a credit for sellers who complete required repairs for CalHFA-assisted first-time buyers; and AB 2389 would extend the property tax exclusion for newly installed solar systems. Supporters generally framed these bills as targeted relief or affordability measures, while opponents raised concerns about revenue loss, policy effectiveness, or implementation. The committee also heard a series of agriculture-related bills. AB 2427 proposed a tax credit for qualified agricultural producers to offset labor, equipment, infrastructure, and production costs, and AB 2192 would extend the state’s farm equipment sales tax exemption to local sales taxes with a General Fund backfill for local governments. Supporters argued both measures would help preserve California agriculture, jobs, and food security amid rising costs and regulatory burdens; opponents questioned the need for the subsidies and the size of the fiscal impact. Both bills were referred to suspense. Other measures included AB 1611, which would end a tax break on capital gains from single-family home sales for large corporate investors to discourage investor competition with homebuyers; AB 2522, which would exempt over-the-counter medications from sales tax; AB 2444, which would add a state deduction for ScholarShare 529 contributions and align California law with federal Roth IRA rollover rules; and AB 1550, which would allow deductions for tips and overtime. Each drew support from sponsors and allied groups, while tax reform and local government representatives opposed several bills over revenue and policy concerns. All of these measures were also sent to the suspense file, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Small businesses. Small businesses are the heartbeat of this state. Small and medium businesses.
• Small businesses. Small businesses are the heartbeat of this state. Small and medium businesses.
• Small businesses, there's a very small margin.
• ><c> very</c><03:16:44.400><c> small</c> Small businesses, there's a very small Small businesses, there's
• c> businesses</c><03:48:28.680><c> and</c> These small these small businesses and These small these small

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This means that folks are missing school, missing doctor's appointments, missing flights, and small businesses
• This means that folks are missing school, missing doctor's appointments, missing flights, and small businesses
• They deserve the opportunity to keep their small business afloat.
• You'll hear how right now folks in San Juan's are losing about 30% of their small business revenue because
• For seniors, working families, and small businesses, 60% means missed medical appointments, lost wages

Summary: The committee first held an executive session on several transportation measures heard earlier in the session, including bills on rounding cash transactions to eliminate pennies, vehicle title transfers to insurers, a memorial bridge naming, BAT lane access for private employer transportation services, oil tanker escort requirements, Traffic Safety Commission authority, fifth-wheel trailer length, electric vehicle sales and funding, and vehicle loads on public highways. Most of the measures were advanced with due pass recommendations to the Rules Committee, and the committee adopted amendments on the penny-rounding bill, the EV funding bill, and the vehicle-loads bill. Members noted some opposition or reservations on a few items, including the penny-rounding proposal and the vehicle-loads amendment, but the motions carried. The committee then returned to public hearing on several bills. Substitute House Bill 2323 would create a blue envelope program for neurodiverse drivers to help communicate with law enforcement during traffic stops; the Department of Licensing and State Patrol fiscal notes were described, and the bill drew strong support in signed-in testimony. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2588 would expand county ferry district authority to include vehicle ferries and require voter approval for new taxes after the effective date; testimony was mixed, with Whatcom County officials and ferry users supporting the bill as a funding tool, while one opponent criticized the tax and timing provisions. The committee also heard public testimony on Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2172, which would change the route jurisdiction transfer and abandonment process for state highways by requiring agreements or legislative review for longer abandonments or bridge transfers; cities, counties, the Transportation Commission, and the TIB supported the bill as a more transparent process. Additional public hearings covered Substitute House Bill 2203, creating reckless interference with emergency operations for drivers who bypass emergency road closures; a defense-lawyer witness opposed the mandatory license suspension, while the sponsor described the bill as a response to flood and fire rescues. Substitute House Bill 2410 would create a Commercial Truck Safety and Education Council and raise the commercial vehicle safety enforcement fee from $16 to $32 per vehicle; the trucking industry and business groups supported it as a safety and training investment. The committee also heard a staff briefing and sponsor testimony on Second Substitute House Bill 1923, the Mosquito Fleet Act, which would expand passenger-only ferry district options and was presented as a local tool to improve ferry access and relieve Washington State Ferries congestion.

Transcript Highlights:

• This past year's been busy and full of challenges.
• This past year's been busy and full of challenges.
• I mean, you're very busy.
• city paving for small towns.
• For small towns. So here's just a snapshot.

Bills: SB5989

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• business or of up as defense of small business or of entrepreneurship.<01:02:38.120><c> There's</c><
• ><c> with</c> small and medium-sized businesses with small and medium-sized businesses with less<01:03
• ><c> tell</c> the small business opportunity to tell the small business opportunity to tell their<01:
• </c> very tools that help your small very tools that help your small businesses<01:10:06.720><c> and<
• NFIB represents about 10,000 small and independently owned businesses across Minnesota.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He said small public works projects are ideal opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses to
• public works projects are ideal opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses to perform learn
• grow, the public would be better served to use small business set aside rosters than to unnecessarily
• You mentioned small business pavers.
• that many small business pavers that could handle these small projects that don't reach, you know, a

Summary: The House Local Government Committee held public hearings on four bills. HB 2174 would allow counties, cities, towns, or the Department of Transportation to designate accident risk zones on roads with repeated crashes, hold a public hearing, conduct engineering and traffic studies, increase enforcement, and use half of traffic fine revenue for safety improvements. The sponsor and local officials from Pasco and Colotis described serious crashes and fatalities on U.S. 12 and U.S. 395 and said the bill could provide a temporary safety tool while long-term fixes are pursued. Testifiers generally supported the concept but raised concerns about liability, implementation, youth penalties, and possible targeted enforcement, especially for motorcyclists; several suggested amendments and the committee discussed possible alignment with safe system practices. HB 2267 would direct the Department of Commerce to create a model urban forest management ordinance, update it every 10 years, provide guidance on tree retention and mitigation, and create a grant program for local governments that adopt or substantially adopt the model. Supporters from Washington Conservation Action, The Nature Conservancy, FutureWise, and the Puget Sound Partnership said trees are important for stormwater, heat reduction, air quality, public health, and climate resilience, and argued the bill could help balance housing growth with canopy protection. Opposition from the Building Industry Association of Washington and the Master Builders Association focused on the grant condition tied to adoption of the model ordinance, concerns that the bill would effectively mandate local policy, and worries that prioritizing tree retention could constrain housing production and increase legal risk. HB 2183 would require counties planning under the Growth Management Act to adopt extreme heat response plans by July 1, 2027, covering immediate response, long-term mitigation, protection of high-risk populations, tribal coordination, and public education. The sponsor and physicians from Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility cited the 2021 heat dome as a deadly disaster that overwhelmed emergency services and killed many people in their homes, arguing counties need coordinated planning for future heat events. Local public health officials supported the goal but asked for amendments to reduce duplication with existing emergency and mitigation plans and to clarify leadership roles; L&I requested that the bill reference existing worker-protection rules for outdoor workers. HB 1529 would let counties perform city roadway striping and paving work without counting it against city public works limits or bidding thresholds, if the county can do the work more cheaply or no bids are received. Supporters from Pasco and the Association of Counties said it would help cities use existing county equipment and crews more efficiently, while contractors and labor groups opposed it, warning about reduced competition, quality and oversight concerns, and the loss of prevailing-wage and small-business opportunities. No votes were taken on any of the bills, and the committee adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:30:34.480><c> Business</c> categories the Small Business categories the Small Business Administration
• </c> entrepreneurs or small businesses with. entrepreneurs or small businesses with.
• who</c><01:03:38.160><c> is</c> small business for anybody who is small business for anybody who is
• small business of growth be inclusive of small business of growth oriented<01:08:37.920><c> business
• </c><01:08:44.400><c> business</c> with our population a small business with our population a small business

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> as well as small business development. as well as small business development.
• </c> you know, as has been said, small you know, as has been said, small businesses<00:54:48.559><c>
• They educate families, youth, and also small business owners, many immigrant-owned businesses, most of
• </c><00:57:26.799><c> businesses</c><00:57:27.280><c> buy</c> folks buy it, when small businesses buy
• businesses who are particularly small businesses who are facing<01:15:17.280><c> increased</c><01:15

Bills: HF2779 , HF1645 , HF1885 , HF1289 , HF1534 , HF2707 , HF1675 , HF3046

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• A, we couldn't prioritize small businesses.
• </c><00:23:52.720><c> businesses</c><00:23:53.360><c> who</c> bill just to help small businesses who
• And B, even though the small businesses.
• </c> small businesses but the department small businesses but the department takes<00:24:39.360><c> a
• it's small businesses and veterans and it's very<00:26:27.840><c> disappointing.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Amendment 283 by Representative Abell exempts businesses that qualify for the small business tax credit
• So I hear regularly from small business owners in my district about concerns about operating small businesses
• Asking for a no vote on this amendment, I appreciate my colleagues' focus on small businesses.
• My father's a small business owner, and I think it's important that we're talking to these businesses
• My father's a small business owner, and I think it's important that we're talking to these businesses

Bills: SB5536 , SB5868 , SJM8006 , SB6011

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: divorce, dissolution, marriage, domestic partnership, property division, real property, community property, separate property, liabilities, family law, equitable distribution, court order, personal jurisdiction, absent spouse, absent domestic partner, creditors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, home equity, family home

Transcript Highlights:

• We ended up talking to legal professionals about it, but it started with small businesses.
• benefits going to the small, like your actual small businesses.
• I have a small business. I'm going to have a game.
• One that actually benefits small businesses.
• small business.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Dave Baker from CYO County, uh, small business guy, and uh looking forward to talking about a really
• </c><00:05:35.160><c> uh</c> make it a lot easier for business uh make it a lot easier for business uh
• every</c><00:19:02.400><c> corner</c> small business owners from every corner small business owners
• business.
• business.

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This past year's been busy and full of challenges.
• I mean, you're very busy.
• I'm the business side of this duo.
• on small city preservation.
• city paving for small towns.

Summary: The committee first met in brief executive session and advanced Senate Bill 5989 without recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. Staff explained the bill would redistribute sales tax on aircraft fuel, affecting general fund revenue, which was why it was better suited for Ways and Means. The motion passed by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith on WSDOT’s 2025 work and 2026 priorities. She highlighted agency reorganization, safety initiatives, preservation needs, bridge strikes and storm damage, ferry service improvements, major projects such as Revive I-5, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, fish passage work, and preparations for the World Cup. Members praised the department’s communication and work, and asked about additional paving and preservation funding; Meredith said WSDOT had prepared projects that could be advanced if more money were available. Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vizina and staffer Jenna Forty followed with a detailed briefing on vessel and terminal preservation. They described the aging fleet, the need for new hybrid-electric vessels, the governor’s proposed funding for three additional ferries and life-extension work on older vessels, and the importance of terminal upgrades such as Fauntleroy. Senators asked about service contingency planning, the cost and timing of hybrid versus diesel vessels, and whether additional vessels would require rebidding; staff said hybrid-electric construction is the fastest path and that any expansion would depend on statutory direction and legal review. The committee then heard from local government representatives on preservation and storm recovery. The Association of Washington Cities and the Transportation Improvement Board described city road and bridge needs, limited local funding, and the importance of sustained preservation investment and programmatic grants. County representatives from the Washington State Association of County Engineers, Snohomish County, and the County Road Administration Board discussed the December flooding, road washouts, bridge damage, and recovery costs, emphasizing that counties face large preservation backlogs and need state and federal help for repairs and resiliency.

Transcript Highlights:

• These practices can create cash-flow crises, push small businesses to the brink, and make it harder for
• But just for the record, this won’t fix me and my business, as my main business focuses on restoration
• —it's expensive to go to court and time-consuming, and most small business owners are really just managing
• their business.
• And if the disbursement doesn't come, I'm not quite sure how a small business person pays the other person

Committee: House Economic Development

Keywords: 959, house, all