Transcript Highlights:

• Our multilingual self-help center, which provides in-person and remote access to distant parts of the
• destroyed newly purchased audio equipment essential to maintaining sound quality for both in-person and remote
• unreliability of internet services in these areas, making it difficult for residents to participate in remote
• consider whether operational changes could affect the amount of funding needed, such as greater use of remote

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation held a hearing focused on courthouse facility funding and the Governor’s budget proposals for the judicial branch. The Legislative Analyst’s Office outlined the state’s courthouse funding structure, including the Trial Court Facilities Act, the main facility funds, the fixed county facility payment, and the heavy reliance on General Fund backfill. LAO also explained that the state’s construction funds were depleted after large transfers and declining fine-and-fee revenue, leaving a backlog of roughly 80 construction projects and more than 22,000 deferred maintenance projects statewide. Members and witnesses discussed the long timelines for capital projects, the need for reassessments, and the impact of inflation, CEQA, and site acquisition delays. Judicial branch representatives, including Justice Hill, Judge Moorman, and Judge Tapia, testified that courthouses across the state face serious seismic, ADA, security, and maintenance problems. They described cost-cutting efforts in design and construction, but emphasized that many facilities are aging and unsafe, with examples from Los Angeles, Compton, Ukiah, and other courts involving flooding, elevator failures, asbestos issues, and closures that disrupted thousands of cases. Judge Moorman highlighted the Ukiah courthouse replacement as an example of a project that is on time and on budget and would improve access, safety, and community services. Judge Tapia stressed that deferred maintenance in Los Angeles County alone exceeds $1.4 billion and argued that preventive maintenance is fiscally prudent because emergency repairs and closures are more costly. Committee members pressed the panel on how priorities are set, whether caseload and population growth are adequately reflected, how quickly projects can be accelerated, and what level of funding would actually meet statewide needs. The Department of Finance and Judicial Council staff explained that the county contribution is fixed and not inflation-adjusted, that acquisitions require willing sellers and can be delayed by CEQA and market conditions, and that the Judicial Council’s prioritization process was based on 2019 criteria that may need updating. LAO cautioned that any new General Fund commitment would require tradeoffs with other state priorities and suggested the Legislature decide what level of funding it is willing to support. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s budget proposals for courthouse facilities, which include backfill for the construction fund, selected new construction and judgeship-related projects, and major facility modifications such as the Orange County Central Justice Center and relocation of Los Angeles courtrooms from the Spring Federal Building.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there potential to do remote surgery? It's a great question.
• And actually, just this past summer at the SRS conference, Intuitive performed a remote procedure using
• And actually, just this past summer at the SRS conference, Intuitive performed a remote procedure using
• original funding for Intuitive actually came from the Stanford Research Institute, and it was for a remote

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology held a hearing on California’s medical technology landscape, with opening remarks emphasizing the sector’s size, economic impact, and role in jobs and innovation. The first panel contrasted MedTech with biopharma, describing MedTech as hardware- and manufacturing-oriented, more incremental in development, and more dependent on supply chains, land use, and mid-skilled workforce pipelines. Witnesses argued California is the epicenter for MedTech because of its mix of engineering, software, hospitals, and manufacturing ecosystems, and cited clusters in places like Irvine, Fremont, Carlsbad, and the Bay Area. They also highlighted examples such as Penumbra and Vyaire Medical Systems to show how local manufacturing, community college training, and reshoring can support growth. The panel discussed cybersecurity, trade relations, supply chain disruptions, and the need for better coordination with hospitals and regulators, while AdvaMed stressed that medical devices are already heavily regulated by the FDA and should generally be exempt from broader state laws that could create a patchwork of requirements. Members also discussed AI in MedTech, workforce training, and the possible effects of federal NIH funding cuts, with witnesses saying MedTech is less dependent on NIH than biopharma but still benefits from a strong innovation ecosystem. Committee members then asked about AI, affordability, patient satisfaction, women’s health, and the R&D tax credit. Witnesses said AI is helping reduce errors, redundant testing, and imaging time, while keeping clinicians in the loop, and that digital pathology and robotic surgery are improving diagnosis and treatment. They also noted that packaging, plastics, and recycling can affect FDA approvals, and that FemTech is an active and growing area for investment and acquisition. Several members raised concerns about California’s regulatory and incentive environment, including the loss of the R&D tax credit, and witnesses said the absence of tax incentives has made it harder to keep companies and jobs in the state. The second panel featured company representatives from Lyca Biosystems, Intuitive, Saravia Neurosciences, and Newman. Dr. Monroe described digital pathology as a way to digitize tissue slides, improve access to subspecialty review, and enable AI-assisted diagnosis, especially for cancer care and rural areas. Intuitive highlighted robotic-assisted surgery, including the da Vinci system and the Ion bronchoscopy platform, and said its technologies improve precision, reduce complications, and support clinician-led care. Saravia Neurosciences presented an early-stage neurotechnology for dementia that uses MRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation and AI-driven personalization, and argued California needs a state translational fund to bridge the gap between discovery and commercialization. Newman, a startup working on home diagnostics, said California’s permitting, zoning, and manufacturing rules make it difficult to scale advanced manufacturing locally and urged streamlining, reduced red tape, and incentives to keep manufacturing jobs in-state. Committee members again focused on tax credits and asked how the state could better support manufacturing, translational funding, and the retention of high-paying MedTech jobs.

Transcript Highlights:

• First up, our first speaker, who is going to be joining us remotely—Denise. Is she online? Denise?
• Thank you for joining us remotely. I'm going to turn the presentation over to you.
• you for joining us remotely. I'm gonna turn the presentation over to you.
• Investigator Dana Ames, joining us remotely, has been leading an investigation into biosolids runoff

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban. After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I built the platforms for Build Up, it was intended to be remote.
• When I built the platforms for buildup, it was intended to be remote.
• Intended to be remote.
• It was built to be able to do everything remote.

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Summary: The work session focused first on apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship in Washington, with Labor and Industries explaining the registered apprenticeship system, the role of the state apprenticeship council, minimum training and classroom requirements, and the use of the ARTS database and navigators to help people find programs. Members asked whether the system was saturated and how people learn about openings; presenters said apprenticeship is tied to actual jobs and training agents, and that navigators and centralized tools like Career Bridge are important because L&I does not track hiring openings. The panel also described pre-apprenticeship requirements, youth apprenticeship, and statewide growth in apprentices, training agents, and prep programs, while noting strong earnings and employment outcomes for completers. Representatives from the building trades emphasized that the multi-employer union apprenticeship model is labor-management governed, privately funded through employer and worker contributions, and supported by recruitment, retention, and diversity efforts. They argued that the main constraint is not a lack of apprenticeship capacity but a shortage of jobs and training-agent employers willing to take apprentices, and said public policy tools such as apprenticeship utilization requirements, project labor agreements, and construction-related public investments can help create demand. They also presented data showing many workers on out-of-work lists and many apprenticeship seekers on waitlists, and said support services are needed because apprentices often face unstable wages, transportation costs, tools, and benefit cliffs. Nicole Miller described the Constructed Career initiative, a grant-funded pilot that provides outreach, navigation, case management, and wraparound supports for building trades apprenticeship seekers and first-year apprentices. She said the program has enrolled nearly 1,200 participants, with about 775 currently in apprenticeship, and reported high retention among participants; common supports include transportation, tools, work clothes, and help with barriers such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, and reentry from incarceration. Megan Pearson then described Build Up, a newer nonprofit offering similar statewide support services, including a prison-based boot and PPE program and assistance with insurance, licensing, and other barriers, funded through a mix of public and private sources. Aaron Frazier closed the apprenticeship portion by describing a new oversight committee created by legislation to examine construction training in correctional facilities and improve pathways from prison-based training to apprenticeship, college, or work. The second half of the meeting shifted to Renton Technical College, where college leaders highlighted strong enrollment growth, a median student age of 30, a diverse and largely nontraditional student body, and recent budget cuts that forced program and staffing reductions. Health and human services leaders described short-term and longer-term health programs and noted rising enrollment and completion. Early childhood education faculty then explained how they rebuilt a low-enrollment program by moving to hybrid evening and Saturday offerings, adding Spanish-language instruction, and creating in-person, step-by-step support sessions for application, financial aid, and registration. A committee member raised the issue of English literacy for Spanish-speaking students, and the presenters said the program does not directly teach English reading and writing but is working to support students as they transition into the workforce.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I built the platforms for Build Up, it was intended to be remote.
• When I built the platforms for buildup, it was intended to be remote.
• It was intended to be remote.
• It was built to be able to do everything remotely.

Summary: The work session focused first on Washington’s apprenticeship system, especially building trades programs and support services. Labor and Industries staff explained how registered apprenticeship works in the state, including the role of the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, the requirements for paid on-the-job training and classroom instruction, and the difference between apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship. Panelists emphasized that apprenticeship is tied to actual jobs and training agents, and that many waitlists reflect a shortage of job openings and employer participation rather than a lack of interest. They also discussed youth apprenticeship, the growth of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and the use of Career Bridge and L&I’s database to help people find programs. Representatives asked whether the state should expand apprenticeship programs and how people can find openings. Speakers said more programs alone would not solve the backlog without more employers signing on as training agents and more apprenticeship utilization on projects. The panel also highlighted the Constructed Career Initiative, a grant-funded navigation and support program that helps people enter and stay in building trades apprenticeships through outreach, case management, and wraparound aid such as transportation, tools, and work clothes. A related nonprofit, Build Up, described similar support services, including prison-based boot and PPE programs and assistance for reentry participants. The panel said these services are especially important because apprentices often face unstable income, housing, food, and transportation barriers. The panel also discussed House Bill 2084 and the new Construction Training Pathway Oversight Committee, which is examining construction training in correctional facilities and how to create clearer pathways from prison-based training to apprenticeship, college, or work. Speakers said the committee is still in its early stages and will report to the legislature. The session ended with committee members thanking the panel and noting the importance of support services and referral networks for apprentices. The meeting then resumed at Renton Technical College, where college leaders and faculty discussed serving non-traditional students. The college reported strong enrollment growth, a median student age of 30, a diverse student body, and high job placement rates, while also noting significant budget cuts and program reductions from the prior year. Health care and early childhood education programs were highlighted, including efforts to expand access through hybrid scheduling, evening and Saturday classes, Spanish-language offerings, and in-person wraparound support for admissions, financial aid, and registration. Faculty said these changes were driven by student data and were aimed at helping working parents, English learners, and other non-traditional students complete credentials and enter family-wage careers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today is the day that we will vote on our final three-party agreement for our 2026 budget.
• We're voting on the good stuff and we're voting on the not... Else.
• We're voting on the good stuff and we're voting on the not so good stuff.
• But they better be able to take care of the things that they're vote, the good stuff they're voting down
• in the Assembly later today—19 or 20 votes.

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Sears, how'd he vote? Senator Alston, how'd he vote? Senator Sears, how do you vote?
• Secretary, record the vote. By our vote is 16-9-1-11-A-3. Not voting.
• Secretary, record the vote. By a vote of 26, 1-8-3, not voting.
• Secretary, record the vote. By a vote of 27-0-0-0-0-N-A's and three not voting.
• Director, recorded vote by a vote of 27-0-0-N-A's and three not voting.

Summary: The Senate met in floor session, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and then moved through several Committee of the Whole calendars considering a range of House bills and one concurrent resolution. On the first calendar, members considered HB 2192 on employment/video content matters of public concern, HB 2592 on government information technology and AI-related rulemaking, HB 2752 on the Arizona Commerce Authority trade office, HB 2916 on traffic schools and fingerprint clearance, and HB 2946 on development fees. Amendments were adopted on HB 2192, HB 2592, HB 2916, and HB 2946; HB 2752 received a Mesnard amendment, but an Epstein amendment failed on division after a 7-14 vote. All of those bills were reported out do pass, with HB 2752 retained on the calendar after amendment consideration. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted. On later calendars, the Senate advanced HB 2918, HB 2999 on infrastructure finance districts/special taxing districts, HB 1418 on county officers/sheriff authority, HCR 259 supporting county sheriffs, HB 2035 on child welfare placement/reporting, HB 241 on child neglect, HB 2594 on court trust confidentiality, HB 2932 on groundwater transportation fees, HB 2109 on distracted driving penalties for motorcycles, HB 2118 on mobile food vendor licenses, HB 2244 on eviction satisfaction of judgment, HB 4011 on HOA duties, and HB 2440 on a transition program. Several bills were amended, including HB 2999, which drew discussion about tax rates, bond coverage, and infrastructure district financing; an Epstein objection focused on homeowner cost uncertainty, but the bill ultimately advanced. HB 2035, HB 2594, HB 2932, HB 2109, HB 2118, HB 2244, HB 4011, and HB 2440 all received do pass recommendations, with some technical or conforming amendments adopted along the way. The Senate also adopted a proclamation recognizing Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on its centennial anniversary and welcomed university representatives and students in the gallery. The chamber granted the House’s request to return SB 1113 for further amendment and appointed free conference committees for HB 2133 and HB 2010. Final third-reading votes passed HB 2592, HB 2916, HB 2946, and HB 2999, with recorded roll-call results showing HB 2592 passed 16-9 with 11 not voting, HB 2916 passed 26-1 with 3 not voting, HB 2946 passed 27-0 with 3 not voting, and HB 2999 passed 21-6 with 3 not voting. The Senate then adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• participate online, and I don't think we, we're going to, at one point here, we'll adopt a policy for remote
• We voted at our last meeting to have ALAC study both Articles 1 and 2 of the Administrative Process Act
• Chairman, I'm going to abstain from voting because my law firm does work for the parent of LexisNexis
• kind of conflicts and gives us conflicting instructions, especially when you're talking about early voting
• When you talk about assisting voters, voters asking for voting...

Transcript Highlights:

• in this bill that I wanted to get passed last year, but we ran into political problems getting the votes
• allowing me committee and thank you for allowing me to<00:27:13.120><c> testify</c><00:27:13.679><c> remotely
• My</c><00:27:14.320><c> name</c><00:27:14.480><c> is</c><00:27:14.640><c> Nathan</c> to testify remotely
• My name is Nathan to testify remotely.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Is everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• We are not voting on general revenue. We're not voting on special revenue.
• Is everyone voted? Is everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, recognized guests, and adopted consent-calendar resolutions before taking up House Resolution 1052 regarding Arkansas Girls State. Rep. Vaught explained that about 150 eligible girls were denied registration because a counselor missed the deadline, and said the House would instead host an “elite Girls State” program for them this summer. He then moved to withdraw the resolution, and the withdrawal was accepted. The chamber also presented a citation to Pastor Richard Hamlin for his service during the session. The House then considered several Senate appropriation bills. Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 15, 21, and 31 all passed with broad support and emergency clauses. Senate Bill 77, an unfunded appropriation related to Arkansas Television Network/PBS matching funds, drew extended debate. Supporters said it would encourage private donations and could help with programming and infrastructure, while opponents argued the department had not requested the money and that the House should not force additional funding. The bill failed on the first vote, was brought back for a second vote after questions about the rules and the nature of the appropriation, and failed again. After the fiscal session business concluded, Rep. Meeks moved to adjourn sine die, and the House agreed. The House caucus then met to elect the Speaker-designate for the 96th General Assembly. The chamber suspended the formal election process by voice vote and unanimously elected Speaker Brian S. Evans as Speaker-designate. Evans thanked members, reflected on the 95th General Assembly, and pledged continued leadership and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• We are not voting on general revenue. We're not voting on special revenue.
• Is everyone voted? Is everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests in the galleries, including state officers, medical personnel, student groups, and former first ladies. Members adopted consent-calendar resolutions, and House Resolution 1052 concerning Arkansas Girl State was withdrawn after Rep. DeAnn Vaught explained that 150 girls had missed a registration deadline and that the House would instead host an alternative Girls State experience this summer. The chamber then took up several fiscal-session appropriation bills. Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 15, 21, and 31, covering appropriations for Shared Services, Health licensing and regulation, Commerce/Insurance, Parks and Tourism, Human Services adult-aging-behavioral health, and administrative courts, all passed with large bipartisan margins. Senate Bill 75, an economic development appropriation for West Memphis, also passed after brief discussion. Senate Bill 77, an unfunded appropriation related to Arkansas Television Network/PBS matching funds, drew extended debate over whether it should support PBS programming, infrastructure, or private-donation matching; it failed on the first vote, was brought back for reconsideration because some members had not voted, and then failed again 73-24. After the fiscal work concluded, Rep. Meeks moved to adjourn sine die, ending the House’s fiscal session. The House then convened as a caucus to elect the Speaker-designate for the 96th General Assembly. The body suspended the formal election process and unanimously elected Speaker Brian S. Evans as Speaker-designate. Evans thanked members, reflected on the prior session, and pledged continued leadership and accountability before the House adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is everyone voted? Has everyone voted? Cast up the ballot.
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• Members, your one vote is for the bill and the emergency clause. Is everyone voted?
• We are not voting on general revenue. We're not voting on special revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Scott votes aye. Schmidt votes no, without recommendation.
• Representative Obras votes aye. Ortiz-Self? Votes aye. Representative Ortiz-Self votes aye.
• Representative Ybarra votes aye. Bronoske votes aye. Representative Bronoske votes aye.
• McEntire votes aye. Representative McEntire votes aye. Obras votes aye.
• Representative Obras votes aye. Ortiz-Self votes aye. Representative Ortiz-Self votes aye.

Bills: SB6136 , SB6188 , SB5944

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: workers' compensation, industrial insurance, premium rates, rate transparency, actuarial rates, contingency reserves, Department of Labor and Industries, L&I, risk classifications, employer premiums, insurance regulation, rate setting, premium increase limits, workers' compensation advisory committee, retrospective rating, state insurance fund, accident and medical aid funds, SB 6188, asbestos, asbestos training

Transcript Highlights:

• Right here in Massachusetts, cities like Waltham, Gloucester, and Haverhill... ...have already voted
• I encourage the committee to vote in favor of H. 5527 as currently written and not to gamble with current
• Hi, yes, I'm here remotely. Hi. Hi, yes, I'm here remotely. Go ahead, sir. Thank you. Thank you.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Transcript Highlights:

• like to invite forward John Lay, Danny Aschini, and Oliver Miska, and then we're going to move to remote
• We're going to go to our remote testifiers, and after this, that first panel that I called, ...testifiers
• I'm a health and civics teacher, and I live in Shoreline, Washington, and I'm urging you to vote on HB
• I'm a health and civics teacher, and I live in Shoreline, Washington, and I'm urging you to vote on HB

Bills: HB2112

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: age restrictions, online content, digital media, youth protection, cyber safety

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also remote monitoring for the new domestic wells.
• There's also remote monitoring for the new domestic wells.
• our situations, because of our isolation, because of our smaller population that we don't have the voting
• So, starting with some quick updates, the Select Committee met again in November. ...and decided to vote

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session covering the state revenue outlook, caseload forecasts, wildfire costs, budget balance, tort liability, water supply, and pension policy. The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported modest near-term U.S. growth, no near-term Washington employment growth in 2026, continued personal income growth, and elevated inflation, with tariffs and federal policy cited as major risks. Revenue forecasts were slightly improved for the current biennium by about $105 million but down about $185 million for the next biennium. Members asked about income inequality and housing permits; staff said personal income is an aggregate measure and housing production remains below long-term needs. The Caseload Forecast Council then reported that most forecasts were unchanged or only slightly changed, but several programs increased, including Washington College Grant, Working Connections, aged/blind/disabled cash grants, nursing homes, home and community services, and developmental disabilities personal care. The largest policy-driven change was in Medicaid low-income adult caseloads, where federal H.R. 1 was projected to reduce coverage substantially through narrower eligibility, community engagement requirements, and shorter eligibility periods. The committee also heard a wildfire funding update and a 2025 fire season review. Staff explained that the state budgets $93 million annually for suppression and uses supplemental appropriations for costs above that level, with an estimated state supplemental need of about $139 million for the current year. Department of Natural Resources officials said 2025 fire activity remained below the 10-year average in acres burned, but fires were more complex and closer to communities, contributing to higher residence loss. They described expanded use of aircraft, firefighters from other states, corrections crews, and the Arcadia 20 hand crew, and said the state did not need National Guard ground support this year. A budget preview then showed that the near general fund outlook had worsened after vetoes, lapses, and forecast changes, and that maintenance-level costs alone would leave a projected negative balance by fiscal year 2027 and about $4.3 billion by fiscal year 2029, before any policy decisions. Jason Seams, the state risk manager, reported a sharp rise in tort claim costs, with indemnity expenses nearly doubling from fiscal year 2023 to 2025 and DCYF accounting for most of the increase. He said the state self-insurance liability account has run deficits for four straight biennia and is now facing nearly $600 million in deficits, driven largely by a surge in DCYF claims, especially juvenile rehabilitation and long-running sex abuse cases. Members asked about the role of old claims, comparisons with other states, excess insurance, and whether more Attorney General staff could reduce special assistant attorney general costs. The committee then shifted to water policy, hearing from tribal leaders, Ecology, and the Washington Water Trust. Tribal witnesses emphasized overappropriation, declining flows, climate impacts, and the need for legislative oversight and tribal participation in water policy. Ecology described major projects in the Odessa sub-area, Yakima Basin, and Dungeness, along with the need for storage, recharge, conservation, and policy changes to support water supply development. The Washington Water Trust argued that climate change is reducing summer flows and that the state needs more funding, enforcement, and long-term commitment to restore instream flows. The final item was a pension update on LEOFF 1 surplus assets; staff reviewed two 2025 bills that would have merged or restructured the plan and used surplus assets, but neither passed, and instead the budget directed the Select Committee on Pension Policy to study the issue and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under Proposition 63, there were 16 voting members; now, under Proposition 1, there are 27 voting members
• responsive mental health support to Californians, children, youth, and caregivers, particularly in remote
• that in a way because so many resources are going into these apps and online portals and virtual or remote

Transcript Highlights:

• &gt;&gt; SENATOR, HOW DO YOU VOTE. &gt;&gt; I VOTE NO.
• Senator Brouk in the affirmative, voting remotely. Senator Bynoe. Affirmative, voting remotely.
• Senator Krueger voting remotely in the affirmative.
• I vote aye, vote aye.
• I vote aye, vote aye.

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the journal, and then moved through a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills for third reading. The chamber also received and accepted a Finance Committee report on nominations for Kathleen Mosier as Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Terrence O’Leary as Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and John Kagia as Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management. All three nominees were confirmed, with Mosier and O’Leary confirmed unanimously and Kagia confirmed 57-1, with Senator Walczyk voting no. The Senate adopted previously approved resolutions recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and mourning the death of Susan Irene Wright of Harlem. Senators Brisport and Bottcher spoke at length in support of Pride Month, emphasizing LGBTQ+ history, resilience, and ongoing threats to the trans community. On the Susan Wright resolution, Senators Cleare, Bailey, and Bottcher praised her community leadership, philanthropy, and family legacy, and Assembly Member Jordan Wright was recognized in the chamber. The body then considered and passed many bills on the calendar, including measures on insurance, environmental conservation, public health, education, business law, labor, social services, highway law, and local tax exemptions. Several bills drew brief explanations of vote, including a measure to end higher insurance premiums for widows, a bill to prohibit correctional facilities from denying visitation because of menstrual products or IUDs, and a Medicaid-related bill to expand access to blood pressure monitors for pregnant people. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable opposition from a small group of senators. Late in the session, the Senate took up a proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting. Senator Stewart-Cousins sponsored the measure, and Senator Walczyk questioned it extensively, arguing voters had previously approved an independent redistricting process and objecting to changes that would remove the Legislature’s two-thirds map-approval requirement and alter the commission’s role. The sponsor said the changes were needed in response to aggressive partisan redistricting in other states and would still require voter ratification in future sessions. The transcript ends during that debate, with no final vote on the amendment shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> seriously affected the economy voted seriously affected the economy voted down<00:44:01.960><c>
• </c><00:44:03.000><c> members</c> down uh I am one of the voting members down uh I am one of the voting
• </c> to recommend that the committee uh vote to recommend that the committee uh vote this<01:43:53.400
• </c> Dentistry or dental hygiene in a remote Dentistry or dental hygiene in a remote State<01:47:46.800
• </c><01:59:12.599><c> State</c> persons practicing from a remote State persons practicing from a remote

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe she is remote. Hello, can you all hear me? Yes, we can. Hello, can you all hear me?
• Austin is online, remote. Good afternoon, members of the committee. My name is Austin Sharp.

Bills: HB2496 , HB2575 , HB2605

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: tribal consultation, energy facilities, site evaluation, environmental impact, policy regulation, environmental regulation, reporting obligations, energy laws, compliance, business impact, HB 2605, Washington asbestos law, naturally occurring fibrous silicate, asbestos-containing building materials, fibrous silicate materials, asbestos labeling, construction materials, renovation, repair and maintenance, EPA method