Transcript Highlights:

• , including the university community.
• Community Colleges Association for Occupational Education, in support. Thank you.
• donate their time as volunteers and help organize various community events.
• The motion is due pass to the Housing and Community Development Committee.
• I think it's important that our communities retain local control.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda focused heavily on housing, local government, Brown Act teleconferencing, and public agency administration. Early bills included AB 39, which would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning for EV charging and building decarbonization; AB 76, which clarifies Chula Vista’s university innovation district housing requirements; AB 259, AB 409, and AB 467, which extend or modernize Brown Act teleconferencing provisions for local agencies, community college student bodies, and Los Angeles neighborhood councils; and AB 428, which would let water corporations join joint powers authorities for pooled insurance. Supporters emphasized climate planning, housing access, public participation, safety, and cost savings, while several bills were amended to address stakeholder concerns. Most of these measures advanced on bipartisan votes, generally 6-1 or 7-0, and were left open for additional members to add on later. The committee also heard AB 632, which would strengthen local enforcement tools for serious code violations, fire hazards, illegal cannabis operations, and unsafe housing by allowing unpaid administrative fines to be converted into money judgments and liens. Local government and code enforcement groups supported the bill as a way to improve compliance and reduce costly litigation. AB 670 would let local governments count investments in preserving naturally occurring affordable housing toward housing element reporting and require broader reporting of demolitions and replacement housing compliance; supporters argued preservation is essential because many unsubsidized affordable homes are at risk. AB 761 would allow Monterey-Salinas Transit to place a future sales tax measure on the ballot with approval from two-thirds of its board, rather than separate approval from each member jurisdiction, to preserve transit funding for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. These measures also moved forward, with the committee noting amendments and sending them to the next committees of referral. Another major item was AB 810, which would require special districts and joint powers authorities to migrate public-facing websites and email addresses to .gov or CA.gov domains by 2031. The author argued the change would reduce fraud and improve public trust, especially after emergency-related scams, while opponents from special districts and IT organizations said the transition would be costly and difficult for smaller agencies. Several school-related opponents withdrew after amendments, and committee members discussed possible aliases and tribal-government language. The bill passed 7-1 to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. Finally, AB 1206 proposed a pre-approved design catalog for single-family homes and small multifamily developments, modeled on a prior ADU bill, to speed rebuilding and reduce design costs; supporters from Habitat for Humanity and housing advocates said it would help both wildfire recovery and broader housing production, and the bill drew at least one opposed-unless-amended position as the committee moved into further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• about the timelines and communities about the timelines and communities needing<00:28:01.960>
• There may have been some communities There may have been some communities that<00:37:06.160>
• It's just that communication was going It's just that communication was going so<00:39:01.800> well
• and the communities. and the communities.
• cost communities.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk of the House is here to communicate with our Senate. >> Madame Clerk, please communicate. >
• Communications and announcements. Senator from Taylor. >> Communicate with the body. Mr.
• communications as we go into next week. communications as we go into next week.
• thriving arts community attracts thriving arts community attracts tourists<01:03:31.280> who<
• that we think about the arts community that we think about the arts community as<01:05:27.440>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, excused absent members, and approved the journal. During second reading, several bills and a joint resolution were reported to the Rules Committee, including measures on trauma center provider coverage, cremation, public library trustees, local occupational license fees and taxes, and a food-is-medicine resolution. The House also communicated passage of House Bills 176, 178, and 280 and requested concurrence. Committee reports advanced Senate Bill 39, Senate Bill 181 with a committee substitute, Senate Bill 17 with a committee substitute and title amendment, and Senate Bill 34. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 13, which would allow military installations to have ex officio representation on nearby planning and zoning bodies to improve communication about land use near bases. It passed 37-0. Senate Bill 46, concerning school transportation, was amended by committee substitute to require background checks and drug testing for drivers of school vans and to extend van use to 10-passenger vehicles; it passed 37-0 after a brief clarification about the amendment’s display in the system. Senate Bill 22, expanding the dual credit scholarship program to support a teacher apprenticeship pathway, was amended to require a 2.75 GPA and then passed 36-1 after questions about employment status and liability; the sponsor explained it would help address teacher shortages and reduce student debt. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 90, which extends the behavioral health conditional dismissal pilot program from 2027 to 2031 to continue offering treatment-based alternatives to incarceration for eligible low-level offenders; it passed 37-0. Senate Bill 51, a proposed constitutional change to freeze property tax assessment increases for homeowners age 65 and older on their primary residence, also passed 37-0. Senate Bill 30 was passed over but retained its place in the orders of the day. The rules committee later posted Senate Bills 27, 40, and 76 for the next day, and the Committee on Committees referred Senate Bill 109 to Licensing and Occupations, Senate Bill 68 to State and Local Government, and Senate Resolutions 45 and 46 to the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:05:46.120> those environment for those communities those environment for those communities
• It leads to more vibrant communities.
• It leads to more vibrant communities.
• It leads to more vibrant communities.
• It leads to more vibrant communities.

Bills: HF29, HF921, HF922, HF1048, HF1049

Keywords: railroad, infrastructure, transportation funding, environmental remediation, capital investment, HF921, tax increment financing, TIF, excess tax increment, school district aid, levy adjustment, property tax levy, education finance, Minnesota education aid, decertification, local government finance, school funding formula, state aid reduction, referendum equalization aid, debt service equalization

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:18:21.960> plant construction and Communications plant construction and Communications
• <00:58:46.760> and make our workers and our community and make our workers and our community
• workers Les less safe our communities workers Les less safe our communities less<01:01:22.680>
• <01:19:54.480> like used um this is in our communities like used um this is in our communities
• It really allows small communities in Greater Minnesota to... ...communities in Greater Minnesota to

Bills: HF47, HF335

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF335, Greater Minnesota, economic development, public infrastructure, grant program, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, business development, infrastructure grants, local government aid, general fund appropriation, rural development, site development, utilities, roads

Transcript Highlights:

• privilege to represent the communities privilege to represent the communities of<00:01:51.079>
• to look at community partners.
• There are many ways to show up in this country. communication when children can't pull communication
• opportunity here for us as a community opportunity here for us as a community to<00:46:03.480>
• schools or through our community schools or through our community agencies<01:37:22.480> so

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• support accreditation for the community support accreditation for the community based providers<
• I'll take any questions that you might have for me. communities and what other options are communities
• the community in that community<00:45:30.000> and<00:45:30.359> rates<00:45:30.680>
• to let many different communities to let many different communities communities communities um<01:10
• They want the community members.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:14.799> that plan for complete communities that plan for complete communities that
• But um I'm sure they looked at um generally what things might be in the community, what the community
• community. Is that right? community. Is that right?
• community that was there? community that was there?
• might community, what the community might community, what the community might want,<00:36:28.560>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered several housing-related measures. On SB 2068, which would create an affordable housing land inventory task force within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to study how to maximize housing on transit-oriented development and other state and county lands, testimony was mostly supportive from agencies and housing groups, with one opposition witness. In response to questions, OPSD said it was already working on a list of potential parcels but could not yet identify unit counts or a timeline, and estimated about $250,000 would be needed for staffing and contractual support. The committees also heard SB 2227 on rental assistance, which would require HPHA to make monthly rent supplement payments, prioritize certain tenants including kupuna, allow agreements with counties and nonprofits, and create a special fund supported by a transaction fee on recordings. HPHA supported the bill, and the Department of the Attorney General said it recommended amending the measure to describe the fee as a tax. Additional testimony included support from elder and community organizations and one opposition witness. For SB 2061, relating to residential condominiums and the 99-year leasehold program, HCDA and the project developer testified in support of amendments intended to preserve owner-occupant requirements while making the project more marketable and financially feasible. Members focused heavily on parking, affordability, and financing. HCDA and the developer said the parking stalls would be unbundled from the units, that the project would be a 99-year leasehold with 60% of units reserved for buyers at or below 140% AMI and 40% market-rate, and that the state’s $15 million equity contribution would cover only part of the parking garage and commercial component. The hearing then moved on to SB 3327, relating to HCDA and complete communities, but the transcript cuts off before that measure was fully discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• story on a bomb threat at a community story on a bomb threat at a community center<00:44:10.079>
• Thank you. our community generous generously our community generous generously supports<00:46:55.920>
• Community<00:46:56.400> security supports Community security supports Community security
• Community safety only to have the door Community safety only to have the door knocked<00:54:56.119>
• the Somali or eastern African Community the Somali or eastern African Community are<00:58:11.160

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• partners come into our communities. partners come into our communities.
• :24.240> seen in our community, we wouldn't have seen in our community, we wouldn't have seen
• community can see their infrastructure. community can see their infrastructure.
• communities to access this system. communities to access this system. >> Okay.
• , very small communities up to larger communities.

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• community, right? community, right?
• community locations. community locations.
• . communities. communities.
• officer to come to that community officer to come to that community community community and<03:55:38.560
• existing communities. existing communities.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A focus on communication with families, the identification of messaging techniques that communicate the
• postcards and the other communication postcards and the other communication that<00:15:00.399>
• Public Communication from our health Public Communication from our health agencies<00:29:18.679> at
• communicated communicated to<00:29:29.240> the<00:29:29.440> families<00:29:30.159>
• > communicate<00:30:50.600> um<00:30:50.840> relevant ability to communicate um

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Finance Committee met on January 28, 2025, to receive updates on chronic absenteeism work funded in the 2024 education finance bill. The chair introduced presentations from districts in the student attendance pilot program—Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Chisago, and Rochester—and noted that the committee would also hear the student attendance and truancy legislative study group report and later a bill from Senator Weber. The chair also thanked educational assistants and paraprofessionals for their work in schools. Minneapolis Public Schools described common attendance challenges across pilot districts, including inconsistent attendance coding, weak family communication, difficulty identifying interventions, and uneven responses to absences. The district said pilot districts want statewide definitions for absences, tardies, and exempt codes, as well as better internal dashboards and clearer procedures. Minneapolis also highlighted strategies such as attendance teams at each school, quarterly postcards to families after five or more absences, Promise Fellows, home visits, multilingual communication through TalkingPoints, and a morning nurse line to help parents decide whether a child should stay home. The district said its main attendance goal is to raise consistent attendance from 68 percent to 80 percent by 2026. In response to committee questions, Minneapolis said its main post-COVID absenteeism reason has been illness or medical issues, followed by transportation problems, and that it does not penalize students for transportation-related absences. The district said it counts secondary absences when students miss more than three periods in a day, with truancy beginning after seven such absences, while elementary students are counted absent for the full day. Members also asked about whether reduced truancy referrals reflected more attendance or diversionary supports; the district said its approach is to focus on understanding root causes and providing support rather than quickly referring students to truancy processes. The district reported improved communication, greater parent awareness, and fewer truancy referrals so far, and said the attendance team model should be sustainable because it uses existing staff with clearer direction.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:42.240> empathy skills like communication empathy skills like communication empathy
• <00:18:14.520> Le Manufacturing customized Community Le Manufacturing customized Community
• different than my largest community different than my largest community Wilmer<00:18:29.480>
• these investments in community-based these investments in community-based Child<00:20:36.159>
• nurture and care for our communities nurture and care for our communities again<00:48:05.160>

Bills: HF2582, HF2266, HF2518, HF2039, HF1941

Keywords: child care, grants, appropriation, workforce development, families, YWCA Minneapolis, job training, child development, economic assistance, WomenVenture, economic development, entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs, business training, financial support, youth programs, funding, employment, Minnesota, American Indian

Transcript Highlights:

• systems, businesses, and community systems, businesses, and community leaders.<00:13:45.200>
• Small communities don't.
• This is a much-needed project for our community. Much needed project for our community.
• These communities are also smaller, aging communities.
• community park next to the transit stop. community park next to the transit stop.

Bills: HF474, HF218, HF210, HF441, HF691, HF720, HF1068, HF1314, HF1465, HF1860, HF2046, HF1389, HF2404, HF2854, HF2985, HF3128, HF3103, HF778, HF3125

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• As a community member, I believe... As a community member, I believe this risks public safety.
• These fees don't make our community safe.
• If it wasn’t about the gay community, you— If it wasn’t about the gay community, you wouldn’t—or the
• and the LGBTQ community.
• community.

Bills: HB2205, HB2265, HB2413, HB2415, HB2418, HB2495, HB2589, HB2661, HB2720, HB2771, HB2833, HB2870

Keywords: criminal damage, trespassing, critical facilities, felony, Arizona Revised Statutes, court fees, public defender, criminal justice, legal aid, indigent defense, appeals, administrative assessments, sex offender, electronic monitoring, registration, public safety, youth protection, Kratom, narcotic drugs, regulation

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2415, which would tighten Arizona’s regulation of kratom by treating synthetic or highly concentrated 7-OH products as narcotic drugs, raising the legal sale age to 21, and imposing criminal penalties for prohibited sales or preparation. Supporters, including the sponsor, a recovering user, the American Kratom Association, and the Attorney General’s Office, argued the bill targets dangerous synthetic products while preserving natural kratom leaf products. Opponents, including the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, warned the amendment could sweep in users and create harsh felony penalties for possession. The committee adopted the Wynn amendment and then gave HB 2415 as amended a 6-3 do-pass recommendation. The committee then considered HB 2870, which would bar multiple Level 2 or Level 3 registered sex offenders from living together in the same residence unless they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The sponsor and neighborhood witnesses described a local home with six or seven offenders and said the arrangement frightened nearby families and children. Opponents argued the bill would destabilize housing for people on probation, increase homelessness, and interfere with supervision and rehabilitation; some also noted existing probation oversight and low sexual recidivism rates. After debate over whether the bill should instead target only certain housing settings, the committee voted 5-4 to give HB 2870 a do-pass recommendation. Next, HB 2413 was heard, requiring GPS or electronic monitoring for registered sex offenders who do not have a fixed address until one is established. Supporters said the bill would close a gap for homeless or transient registrants who otherwise report only every 90 days, while opponents raised due process, cost, and implementation concerns, noting that some offenders are already monitored through probation and that DPS does not itself supervise offenders. The committee passed HB 2413 on a 5-4 vote. The committee also heard HB 2720, which increases the penalty for purchasing prostitution to a class 6 felony and directs a $200 assessment to the anti-human trafficking fund. Supporters said it targets buyers and helps deter trafficking demand; opponents argued the bill could still ensnare trafficking victims and sex workers. The committee adopted a Bliss amendment clarifying the affirmative defense and use of funds, then approved HB 2720 as amended by an 8-0 vote with one member present. Finally, HB 2418, appropriating $600,000 from the General Fund to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission for five major incident division task forces, was supported by county sheriffs’ representatives and passed unanimously by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a little bit on communicating project estimates and how we communicate with the legislature on
• So in terms of communicating that, it's really a matter of communicating the expected accuracy of an
• The entire job is to work in the communities and be a liaison for the State Patrol and then in our community
• as well, because we live in those communities.
• Talk about demographic impacts, ongoing collaboration with our tribal communities, our Latino communities

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from WSDOT on balancing uncertainty in capital program estimates and cash flow management. WSDOT explained the differences between design-bid-build and design-build delivery, its tiered risk-assessment process by project size, and how it uses base estimates, inflation, and risk modeling to set budgets. Staff said design-bid-build estimates are generally accurate within about 1% across the program, while design-build projects carry much wider uncertainty and are better communicated as ranges; they cited a P85 budget approach and noted that large, complex projects can be affected by market competition and long procurement timelines. Members asked about the Columbia River Bridge cost growth and about value engineering, and WSDOT said it uses value engineering but has limited scope to cut costs because of project requirements and policy mandates. Troy Swing also discussed cash flow, noting that a few large projects can significantly affect biennial funding needs, and said a risk pool would not reduce overall program risk but could help manage timing if paired with appropriation and cash-flow controls. The committee then received the final presentation in the WSDOT Project Delivery and Innovative Practices study from HKA Global. The consultant said WSDOT’s estimating practices are generally robust and recommended improving transparency by presenting budget authorizations as ranges or estimate classes, better tracking estimate growth over time, and adjusting advertisement timing to avoid competing lettings. The report also discussed surety bonding, suggesting the legislature consider restoring authority for reduced bonding on select large design-build projects or using phased bonding and alternative securities. On indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracting, the consultant said current job order contract rules are restrictive and recommended legislative changes to make such tools more usable, especially for smaller tasks and to help use unspent funds more flexibly. The committee also heard a follow-up presentation on transit-oriented development policy recommendations tied to HB 1491. The Urban Institute’s Yona Freemark said Washington has been a national leader on TOD but that housing construction, especially in the Puget Sound, has slowed sharply since 2022. He said rising construction costs, high financing costs, and local tax and rent conditions are making many TOD projects infeasible, and recommended that the state fill infrastructure funding gaps around stations, revisit MFTE affordability requirements, consider minimum rather than average density requirements near transit, and create a statewide system to track TOD outcomes such as affordability, gentrification, and transit access. Members questioned the study’s developer interviews, the role of rent control and crime, property tax assumptions, and parking needs; the presenter said the study included five private developers, that rent control was not part of the study scope, and that parking was included in the model assumptions. Finally, the committee began a presentation on regulating emissions from ocean-going vessels at berth. Staff and consultants described California-style at-berth rules, which require shore power or equivalent emissions controls so ships can shut off diesel auxiliary engines while docked. The study is examining vessel traffic, emissions reductions, implementation costs, labor and operational needs, and possible effects on port competitiveness and cargo diversion. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The communities that need them the most.
• Does the community know they're being surveilled, and who lives in that community? Go ahead.
• So how is this actually benefiting the community?
• It also better helps us assign communication tasks.
• And then Spokane County, their communications team, and then the SRTMC group and their communications

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just a tremendous member of our community.
• Communications from the House. There are none. Communications from the executive. There are none.
• The clerk will communicate the action to the House.
• The clerk will communicate the action to the House.
• But we've created a situation where communities and relationships within those communities are being

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, Vice Chair Hickey, we don't have fewer community partners.
• We work with community-based organizations on organizational change.
• Under eliminating exposure, we have multi-unit housing, healthcare facilities, community-based community-based
• Beyond that, we also did a community reintroduction campaign.
• Community, not just the shared wall part, but close community in terms of what Keras is doing.

Transcript Highlights:

• . communities in the state of Texas.
• One is a community college, let me see where my list is, it's University of North Texas.
• So it could, one is already community, some are.
• You will hear overwhelming support today from community leaders.
• Many of its graduates have been leaders in the community and they contributed to our community and to

Keywords: 1184, house, all