Transcript Highlights:

• So I've used these slides from our 2024 bargaining, just because since we're just launching into bargaining

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Employment Relations

Summary: The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met for work sessions on supplemental bargaining for Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA) agreements in general government and higher education, followed by an overview of the collective bargaining process. OFM staff explained that bargaining for the 2025-27 biennium began in 2024, reached tentative agreements, was not ratified in time for the October 1 deadline, resumed, and ultimately produced ratified agreements in August 2025 that were submitted for financial feasibility review under RCW 41.80.010. Staff outlined the tentative agreements’ costs and covered employee counts, including roughly 2,500 FTEs in general government and 2,100 in higher education, with estimated 2025-27 total fund costs of about $22.25 million and $13.5 million respectively. Staff then gave a broader briefing on how state collective bargaining works, including the bargaining calendar, the role of class and compensation review, the June revenue forecast, interest arbitration, and the October 1 submission deadline. They described the groups OFM bargains for, including general government, higher education, health care coalitions, and certain non-state provider groups such as adult family home providers, child care providers, and language access providers. In response to a question from Senator King, staff said the legislature requires bargaining for those non-state provider groups and has also provided interest arbitration for them. Staff also discussed bargaining priorities such as general wage increases, targeted classification adjustments, recruitment and retention, low-wage worker increases, and maintaining the health care premium split. In executive session, the committee voted to keep the current co-chairs, Senator Robinson and Representative Couture, through 2026. Members also voted to recognize that the committee met twice in 2025 and to set the 2026 meeting schedule at two meetings. The motions passed without opposition, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• By launching Operation Lone Star in 2021, Texas has been able to combat illegal crossings, cartel activity

Bills: HCR40 , HB214 , HB214

Committee: Senate Border Security

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Attorney General launched lawsuits against the cities of Austin and San Marcos.

Bills: HB229 , HB3990 , HB5082 , HB5510 , HB229

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: biological sex, government information, definitions, sex-based distinctions, public health, flags, display, state law, municipalities, government buildings, drug enforcement, local control, home rule, municipal charter, county policy, ordinance preemption, state preemption, attorney general enforcement, civil penalties, mandamus

Transcript Highlights:

• Through funding you provided, we also launched the California Court Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program

Summary: The California Legislature met in Joint Convention for the annual State of the Judiciary, with remarks from legislative leaders, a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and the formal introduction of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and the California Supreme Court justices. Speakers emphasized the importance of judicial independence, the courts’ role in safeguarding democracy and equal justice, and the long history of the California Supreme Court. The convention also recognized statewide constitutional officers and judges from across California. Chief Justice Guerrero focused her address on the judicial branch’s budget needs and the impact of prior cuts, noting court closures, furloughs, and reduced services, while saying partial restoration in the governor’s proposed budget would help reduce hiring freezes and service disruptions. She urged continued “three-branch” collaboration and highlighted court operations and programs, including remote hearings, judicial vacancies, court-appointed counsel funding, workload and case-complexity data, CARE Act implementation, AI guardrails, interpreter workforce training, CASA programs, kin-first child placement efforts, court facility projects, and courthouse security improvements. She also discussed the State Bar and bar exam administration, calling for stronger oversight and remedies after recent exam failures, and addressed immigration-related court access issues, reaffirming that courts must remain open and accessible while respecting constitutional limits on state and federal authority. The convention concluded with thanks from legislative leaders and adjournment of the Joint Convention.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to be here to help our small businesses launch, thrive, and continue to grow.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism convened with several members present and Senators DiCeglie and McClain excused. The committee first heard a presentation from Greg Britton, State Director of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, who described the network’s statewide small-business assistance, including startup support, export and contracting help, disaster recovery, and rural outreach. He highlighted reported 2023 impacts such as $3.9 billion in sales generated, $575.9 million in government contracts, $346.2 million in capital, and support for 2,009 new businesses, including 130 manufacturing firms over the past two years. Members asked about comparisons with SCORE and about measuring rural success, with the chair suggesting jobs and wages in rural areas would be useful metrics; Britton said he could provide job data but was unsure about wage information. The committee then took up SB 320 by Senator Gates, which creates a five-year demonstration project for an alternative licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers. The bill would allow a “first-step” probationary license based on industry certification, apprenticeship, recommendation from a licensed Florida surveyor, and passage of the Department of Agriculture exam within the five-year period, without requiring a four-year degree. Senators asked about the labor shortage, education requirements, foreign workers, and moral character standards. Gates said the shortage is chronic and worsening, the bill has no degree requirement, and anyone meeting the qualifications could proceed regardless of visa status. The committee voted to report SB 320 favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 316 by Senator Berman, which authorizes series limited liability companies in Florida and sets rules for how Florida and foreign series LLCs may operate and transact business in the state. Berman explained that the bill is intended to let businesses isolate liabilities across separate series while providing clearer rules for Florida citizens and businesses dealing with such entities. There were no substantive questions, one appearance form in support, and the committee voted to report SB 316 favorably before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, Kentucky was an early implementer of Family First, launching our Title IV-E prevention program
• 00:03:52.120><c> first,</c> early implementer of Family first, early implementer of Family first, launching
• <c> our</c><00:03:53.160><c> Title</c><00:03:53.480><c> IV-E</c><00:03:53.800><c> prevention</c> launching
• our Title IV-E prevention launching our Title IV-E prevention program<00:03:54.760><c> in</c><00:03:

Transcript Highlights:

• thought the bruise, the discoloration, was caused by bruising and a child protection investigation was launched
• :30:34.160><c> was</c> a child protection investigation was a child protection investigation was launched
• 30:35.280><c> in</c><00:30:35.360><c> these</c><00:30:35.520><c> kind</c><00:30:35.680><c> of</c> launched
• And in these kind of launched.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 5055, the governor’s supplemental tax budget. Commissioner of Revenue Paul Marquart outlined the proposal as a balanced budget package that would leave a positive bottom line in the current biennium and beyond. He emphasized family-focused tax relief, especially a new refundable young child credit for children ages 0 to 4, which would provide up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, benefit about 104,000 families, and phase out at higher incomes. He also described federal conformity changes, including updates to business interest deductions, dependent care credits, and Section 179 expensing, along with omitted federal items such as research expensing and opportunity zones due to cost and policy concerns. Marquart also defended broader tax modernization proposals, including expanding the sales tax to selected consumer services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services while lowering the statewide sales tax rate, and creating a social media tax on consumer data collection that would fund an AI readiness special revenue fund rather than the general fund. He said these changes would make the sales tax less regressive and better aligned with the modern economy. Additional provisions mentioned included a gun-related gross receipts tax on firearms and ammunition, cannabis tax technical changes, historic structure rehabilitation conformity, and added auditors for tax compliance. Testimony from outside groups was mixed. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project supported the governor’s approach as a response to federal tax and spending changes, praised the decision not to conform to opportunity zones or federal no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions, and urged even stronger revenue measures. Brian Lake of the Minnesota State Bar Association strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on consumer legal services, arguing it would burden low- and middle-income people in sensitive cases and create unfairness when individuals litigate against the state. Tanner Fritsinger of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the sales tax base expansion and the social media tax as ways to broaden revenue without raising the base rate. The committee chair thanked the commissioner and then began hearing public testimony, with additional testifiers queued up.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, in 2023, the state launched their rate reform process so that provider pay will be based
• the first half of 2027 for training, capacity building, and preparing the workforce for a July 2027 launch
• If we are going to successfully launch...
• This allocation funds the new detained representation project that was launched in July 2025 to provide

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the AGA launched our PlaySmart from the Start messaging platform last year that was designed
• Additionally, the AGA launched our PlaySmart from the Start messaging platform last year that was designed
• Additionally, the AGA launched our PlaySmart from the Start messaging platform last year that was designed
• market, for example, Missouri recently legalized sports betting, and their number shortly after they launched

Bills: SCR145 , SCR132 , SCR31 , SCR110

Transcript Highlights:

• In recent years, high-profile public figures and online personalities have launched branded meme coins
• In recent years, high-profile public figures and online personalities have launched branded meme coins
• Today, creating a meme coin can take just minutes, and with over 13 million launched in 2025 alone, value
• These assets are created and launched quickly, often with no underlying value and minimal oversight.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• , the legislature established the regulatory framework specific to TNCs, and, of course, the DOT launched
• specific to TNCs, um and of course<00:15:27.120><c> the</c><00:15:27.200><c> DOT</c><00:15:27.680><c> launched
• </c><00:15:28.000><c> the</c><00:15:28.079><c> permitting</c> course the DOT launched the permitting
• course the DOT launched the permitting process<00:15:29.079><c> in</c><00:15:29.240><c> 2024</c><00:15

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 31 and heard a series of resolutions focused on roadway safety, transportation access, and infrastructure coordination. Early measures included HCR 104/HR 96 on advancing coastal trails on O‘ahu’s North Shore and HCR 63/HR 57 on clarifying responsibility for Honouliuli Bridge and addressing safety, wildfire, and emergency access concerns. The Department of Transportation supported both, and a resident testified that the Honouliuli bridge is a single-lane emergency replacement on state land that has limited access for fire protection, heavy vehicles, permits, and repairs. DOT said it was working with DLNR and that jurisdiction may ultimately lie with the County of Maui, with research ongoing. The committee also heard HCR 62/HR 56 on alternative vegetation management along Hana Highway, HCR 43/HR 39 on raised crosswalks near Ala Wai Elementary, and HCR 52/HR 48 on integrating the safe system approach into county road design; these drew support testimony and no opposition. The committee then considered HCR 120/HR 112 on regulating transportation network companies under motor carrier law. DOT and the Public Utilities Commission offered comments, while Lyft opposed, arguing the legislature already created a TNC-specific framework in 2022 and that motor carrier law is not a good fit for app-based ride platforms. In questioning, PUC explained that TNCs would fall under both PUC motor carrier jurisdiction and DOT permitting, and DOT said it would follow up on enforcement questions. Members also discussed HCR 119/HR 111 on an indirect traffic disruption grant program, with the chair asking DOT to clarify how it enforces penalties when contractors or others fail to follow road closure requirements. Other measures discussed included HCR 96/HR 88 on moving to a demerit-point driver licensing system, which DOT supported; HCR 128/HR 120 on coordinating capital improvement planning for Hawaiian Home Lands developments, which DOT and DHHL supported; HCR 127/HR 119 on a state highway police force, which DOT supported; and HCR 125/HR 117 on a statewide plan for derelict utility poles and lines, which drew support from DOT, Hawaiian Electric, and Hawaiian Telcom, with DOT acknowledging it lacks current statutory authority to force immediate removal. The committee also heard HCR 58/HR 54 on school crosswalk safety for Mililani Elementary, HCR 55/HR 51 on using artificial intelligence to mitigate traffic and improve road safety, and HCR 54/HR 146 on expanding the Hele-On Shared Ride program on Hawai‘i Island. Supporters of the Hele-On measure said expanded service would help rural residents, kupuna, and people with disabilities reach medical appointments and daily activities, while noting cost and technology-access concerns; they said missed or delayed appointments are a real issue in remote areas. The final item discussed in the excerpt was HCR 64/HR 58 on minimizing rumble strip dimensions on Kūhiō Highway on Moloka‘i, with DOT saying it had already removed some strips where large emergency vehicles were affected on narrow curves.

Transcript Highlights:

• my colleagues, Representative Tipton and Chair Lewis, we passed the Read to Succeed Act in 2022, launching
• Succeed<00:47:59.280><c> Act</c><00:47:59.640><c> in</c><00:47:59.760><c> 2022</c><00:48:00.720><c> launching
• </c><00:48:01.200><c> a</c> Succeed Act in 2022 launching a Succeed Act in 2022 launching a statewide

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• But so, in around 2014, we in the Fargo-Moorhead/Cass Clay area had launched our coordinated entry system
• When we were working on our housing navigation program and launched that in 2016, PPIH has always had
• We launched with our community partners—SENCA, CAPLP, Salvation Army, lots of our amazing partners—and
• We are, candidly, getting ready to launch our 2026 needs assessment in just a matter of... ...days.

Committee: Joint Human Services

Summary: The Human Services Committee met in interim session and first approved the previous meeting minutes before receiving a series of presentations on homelessness and housing stability. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency updated members on the new Interagency Council on Homelessness, describing its executive-order mandate to review resources, gather input from stakeholders, identify gaps, and develop recommendations. She said the council’s first work is building a statewide program matrix of existing homeless services and funding sources, with attention to youth, tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations. Members raised concerns about youth homelessness, homeless veterans, and how the council will stay focused on a practical framework rather than getting lost in details. The committee also discussed possible connections to the rural health transformation grant and agreed to continue the topic later in the spring. Beth Olson of Presentation Partners in Housing described the organization’s housing-first model in Cass County and Clay County, including homeless prevention/diversion, housing navigation, and Cooper House, a 42-unit permanent supportive housing building in Fargo. She said the organization focuses on people with long-term and chronic homelessness, many with mental health, addiction, health, domestic violence, and Indigenous identity-related barriers, and reported strong outcomes: 85 of 86 people housed in 2025, 91% still housed after one year, and major reductions in emergency room use, ambulance rides, jail stays, detox days, and shelter use. She also explained that state funding has grown from a small share of the budget to about $1.1 million in state-connected funding for fiscal 2026, largely through contracts tied to supportive services. Members asked about vouchers, rent contributions at Cooper House, length of stay, and whether similar projects could be expanded elsewhere. Andrea Olson of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota outlined statewide homeless and housing-related services delivered through six community action agencies in all 53 counties. She explained the Community Services Block Grant structure, said housing was identified as the top need in the most recent statewide needs assessment, and described programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families, North Dakota Homeless Grant services, and Home ARP supportive services. She emphasized that the end of North Dakota Rent Help has increased pressure on the system, that the current $2 million annual homeless grant is far smaller than prior rent-help assistance, and that community action is using case management and financial assistance to move households toward self-sufficiency. Members asked about funding formulas, rural service delivery, and coordination with Presentation Partners to avoid duplication. YouthWorks then began a presentation on youth homelessness, describing services for ages 12 to 24, the special needs of youth and former foster youth, and the organization’s use of federal and state funds to support transitional housing, emergency shelter, maternity housing, and diversion services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Why did the language change now, do you think, after the original launch of the cannabis startup program
• 07.879><c> original</c> now, do you think, after the original now, do you think, after the original launch
• 10.320><c> the</c><00:34:10.480><c> can</c><00:34:10.879><c> startup</c><00:34:11.280><c> program</c> launch
• of the of the can startup program launch of the of the can startup program to<00:34:12.079><c> the</

Transcript Highlights:

• tournaments in hockey, featuring the best young players from around the world and serving as a major launching
• around the world and serving as a from around the world and serving as a major<00:08:44.399><c> launching
• ><c> pad</c><00:08:45.200><c> for</c><00:08:45.360><c> future</c><00:08:45.680><c> NHL</c> major launching
• pad for future NHL major launching pad for future NHL stars.<00:08:47.040><c> Motans</c><00:08:47.600

Bills: HF1007 , HF1152 , HF1671 , HF2258

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• little bit of work in redoing our survey markers and kind of a big endeavor that the committee has launched
• big endeavor that the committee uh of a big endeavor that the committee uh has<00:43:48.720><c> launched
• 50.079><c> could</c><00:43:50.240><c> you</c><00:43:50.319><c> just</c><00:43:50.480><c> talk</c> has launched
• So, could you just talk has launched on.

Bills: HF1151 , HF1239 , HF1240 , HF2020 , HF2514 , HF2515 , HF2451

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We have launched competency diversion and assisted outpatient treatment in three districts.
• AOT is operating in Bernalillo, the third judicial, and the first judicial has just launched its first
• Chair, Representative Lujan, we did launch the AOT in Santa Fe County last week and had our first petitions
• And the reason why I'm asking too, and I'm glad we've launched the program here in Santa Fe in my district

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, we then launched this additional performance audit to look into it more deeply.
• financial statement work instead<00:01:28.040><c> we</c><00:01:28.200><c> then</c><00:01:28.360><c> launched
• </c><00:01:28.960><c> this</c><00:01:29.240><c> additional</c> instead we then launched this additional
• instead we then launched this additional performance<00:01:30.320><c> audit</c><00:01:30.600><c> to<

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• state funding, the program developed a statewide framework for community-level home hardening and launched

Committee: Senate Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard several wildfire- and emergency-related bills. SB 1270 by Senator Richardson would expand the California Wildfire Mitigation Program to more counties and direct future funding toward areas with the greatest wildfire risk and social vulnerability; supporters included CSAC and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. SB 1079 by Senator Stern would create a permanent fire innovation unit within Cal Fire to identify operational needs, test new technologies, and speed deployment of successful tools; it drew support from Megafire Action, fire agencies, and several advocacy groups. SB 1020 by Senator Niello would require annual reporting on open gubernatorial states of emergency, including spending and lessons learned, to increase legislative oversight without limiting emergency powers; the LAO provided technical assistance on the bill. SB 894 by Senator Allen would establish a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on Go Green to help finance home hardening and defensible space improvements, with broad support from state, local, environmental, and credit union interests. Testimony on the bills emphasized wildfire risk, the need for broader home hardening access, and the value of innovation and oversight in emergency management. Supporters of SB 894 said grants alone cannot meet the scale of needed mitigation and that low-cost financing could leverage private capital. Supporters of SB 1079 argued California needs a more formal system to connect firefighters with innovators and scale proven technologies. On SB 1020, the author and committee discussed balancing executive emergency authority with transparency and accountability. There was no recorded opposition to the measures during testimony. After discussion, the committee accepted amendments on the bills and voted to pass SB 894, SB 973, SB 1020, SB 1270, and SB 1079 as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The transcript shows multiple roll calls as quorum was established and absent members were called; each bill ultimately received unanimous support from members present and was reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• state funding, the program developed a statewide framework for community-level home hardening and launched

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard five wildfire- and emergency-related bills. SB 1270 by Senator Richardson would expand the California Wildfire Mitigation Program to more counties based on wildfire risk and social vulnerability, with the author and county representatives saying the program should better target home-hardening assistance where need is greatest. SB 1079 by Senator Stern would create a Fire Innovation Unit within Cal Fire to identify operational needs, test new wildfire technologies, and speed deployment of successful tools; it drew broad support from fire, environmental, local government, and industry groups. SB 1020 by Senator Niello would require annual reporting on open states of emergency, including spending and lessons learned, to increase legislative oversight without limiting the governor’s emergency powers. SB 894 by Senator Allen would establish a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on the state’s Go Green financing platform to help homeowners afford wildfire hardening and defensible-space improvements; supporters included the State Treasurer’s office, counties, fire-safety groups, local governments, and credit unions. There was no opposition testimony on any of the bills. Committee members generally expressed support, with comments emphasizing wildfire risk, the need for home hardening, innovation, and accountability in emergency powers. Senator Rubio asked to be a coauthor on SB 894, and the chair noted the bill’s importance for making mitigation more affordable at scale. All five measures were approved by the committee on motions for “do pass as amended to appropriations,” with roll calls taken over several quorum interruptions. The bills were advanced out of committee, and the hearing was adjourned.