Video & Transcript : 'pretrial hearing' :
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ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee - 2026-02-27
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Mar 17th, 2026
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions
Transcript Highlights:
- If the legislature does not enact this measure as currently written, at this hearing we will hear testimony
- This hearing will be divided into four sections. This hearing will be divided into four sections.
- hearing.
- We’ll now hear from opponents of this initiative petition.
- Robin Terrozian, can you hear us online? I can. Thank you so much. Can you hear me okay?
Bills:
H5008
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Agriculture Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries
Transcript Highlights:
- I'll be chairing today's hearing.
- Hi, Jor, can you hear us? Hi, Jor. Can you hear us? We can't hear you. You seem to be muted.
- Hi, Jor, can you hear us? Hi, Jor. Can you hear us? Hi, Jor. Can you hear us? We can't hear you.
- Can you hear me? We can hear you. We can see you now too. Okay.
- Can you hear me? Martha Smith Blackmore, hello. Can you hear me? We can hear you. Great.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Agriculture opened its first hearing by outlining procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony options, and the plan to hear 27 bills in docket order. The committee then took testimony on H.11/S.53, a resolve promoting equity in agriculture, with advocates from the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, Southeastern Mass Agricultural Partnership, and urban farming organizations describing racial and economic disparities in farming, lack of data on BIPOC farmers, barriers to land and capital, and the need for a commission to collect information and recommend policy changes. Committee members asked questions about the importance of data collection and future policy development, and the bill was repeatedly urged to be reported favorably out of committee.
Testimony also supported H.118, which would create a special commission to examine the strengths and sustainability of the Commonwealth’s emergency food network. The Amherst Survival Center described serving 1.6 million meals last year and explained that food pantries are now functioning as essential parts of the state’s food system while relying heavily on donations, volunteers, and unstable funding. Members discussed the need for a more holistic look at food security infrastructure. The committee then heard H.119/S.60 on climate change impacts on farms and fisheries, with regional planners and farm advocates describing flood damage, rising costs, canceled federal climate-smart funding, and the need for direct state support for adaptation, resilience, and infrastructure improvements.
The committee also heard testimony on H.125/H.142/S.65, a healthy soils bill, from landscape professionals who said construction sites often leave poor or stripped soil and that the bill would require better post-construction soil standards to support healthier landscapes and reduce long-term maintenance and environmental problems. Finally, the committee took extensive testimony on H.127, which would prohibit aquaculture of octopus for human consumption. Supporters, including legislators, scientists, veterinarians, students, and animal welfare advocates, argued octopus are highly intelligent and sentient, cannot be farmed humanely, and that octopus aquaculture would create environmental harms such as waste runoff, pressure on wild fish stocks, and ecosystem disruption. No votes were taken during the hearing; the bills were heard and testimony was received.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Senate Education Committee and Assembly Education Committee Jan 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to our annual joint hearing of the Senate and Assembly Education Committees to hear from the
- And I'm excited to hear.
- As school board members, we were hearing that.
- member as they went into that hearing or prior to going into that hearing, which I think was an improvement
- This is a special hearing.
Summary:
The Senate and Assembly Education Committees held their annual joint hearing with the California Association of Student Councils and SABLE, where student delegates presented policy ideas developed over two days. Committee members repeatedly praised student voice and noted that several past student proposals had become law. The hearing began with opening remarks from legislators and student organizers, who emphasized the importance of civic participation and the value of hearing directly from students. The chair also reviewed hearing rules and explained that the panels would be treated as peers in a formal policy discussion.
The first panel proposed an annual civic engagement day for grades 7-12, with flexible activities such as mock elections, civic fairs, Socratic seminars, and public comment practice. Members asked about costs, grade-level flexibility, voter registration, and how the proposal would fit within existing curriculum time. The second panel proposed amending Education Code Section 35012 to require at least one student board member in every unified and high school district, with expanded training and motion rights. Legislators supported the concept but raised technical concerns about fiscal impact, the need for odd-numbered boards, the scope of motioning authority, and whether districts would need reimbursement if the mandate became statewide.
A third panel proposed adding middle school financial literacy instruction by embedding it into existing classes, with curriculum and teacher training developed over time by state agencies. Members questioned how it would fit into adopted materials and whether the state should wait until the new high school financial literacy course is fully implemented before designing middle school instruction. The fourth panel proposed expanding restorative justice by creating a CDE task force and authorizing PPS-certified staff to use restorative justice training materials in discipline processes. Senators discussed prior legislation, confidentiality concerns in closed-session hearings, and the fiscal cost of a state task force, while expressing support for stronger restorative practices.
The final panel proposed more active mental health education through short, twice-semester classroom sessions for grades 7-12 focused on coping skills, time management, and awareness of resources. Assemblymember Castillo and Senator Cortese questioned whether teachers and counselors could effectively deliver the program, whether it would duplicate or overburden existing efforts, and whether wellness centers or student-led awareness efforts might be more effective. Committee members generally agreed the topic was important but were skeptical that another curriculum mandate was the best solution, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Higher Education Committee Jan 13th, 2026
Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- This first hearing is for two-year bills.
- So thank you again for everyone's participation in today's hearing, and we're going to hear the bills
- Are there witnesses in opposition in the hearing room? Are there tweeners in the hearing room?
- Are there witnesses in opposition in the hearing room? Are there tweens in the hearing room?
- Are there witnesses in opposition in the hearing room? Are there tweeners in the hearing room?
Committee:
House Higher Education
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Transportation Committee Aug 25th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Today, we have a two-part hearing.
- First, we will have a regular order of business bill hearing to hear three highway naming resolutions
- Hello, Assembly Member Wilson, Chair Wilson, can you hear me okay? We can hear you just fine.
- You hear me out.
- First of all, in the hearing, we're hearing about alternatives to the gas tax.
Summary:
The Assembly Transportation Committee first took up three highway naming resolutions on its consent calendar: ACR 109, SCR 78, and SCR 90. The committee approved the consent calendar with 11 aye votes and no no votes, then adjourned the bill-hearing portion. Members also recognized committee science fellow AJ Mendeola for his service, noting his contributions to bill analysis and staff support.
The committee then held an informational hearing on alternatives to the gas tax, focused on the projected decline in fuel-tax revenue and the need for a more sustainable transportation funding model. The chair and invited experts described how inflation, improved fuel efficiency, and growth in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles are eroding gas-tax revenues. Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the University of California discussed state options such as higher or indexed gas taxes, EV registration fees, road usage charges, delivery fees, public EV charging fees, transportation network company fees, and managed lanes, emphasizing tradeoffs among revenue adequacy, fairness, administrative cost, and public acceptance.
Committee members raised concerns that mileage-based fees or EV fees could function as new taxes on commuters and lower-income drivers, especially if the gas tax is not repealed. Presenters responded that road usage charges are generally intended as replacements for the gas tax, not additions, and argued that mileage-based systems better preserve the user-pays principle while being less tied to vehicle fuel efficiency. They also noted that flat EV registration fees are easy to administer but can be less equitable because they are not linked to actual road use.
Officials from Hawaii, Utah, and Oregon described their state programs and policy choices. Hawaii said its new road usage charge began July 1, 2025, for EVs, offers a choice between a per-mile charge and a flat annual fee through 2028, and will transition to mandatory EV participation before expanding to all light-duty vehicles by 2033. Utah described its voluntary EV road usage charge program, quarterly reporting, privacy protections, and legislative scenarios for removing the cap or making participation mandatory. Oregon outlined its constitutional cost-responsibility framework and broader transportation funding challenges, including reliance on user fees and limited use of general-fund support.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- At this hearing, we will accept and hear testimony on initiative petition number 2522, H. 5909, an act
- The hearing is going to be divided into four sections, as we are doing with every hearing for these ballot
- We will begin this hearing by hearing from those with subject matter expertise on the matter at hand.
- We will begin this hearing by hearing from those of subject matter expertise on the matter at hand.
- Hearing adjourned.
Summary:
The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 2522 / H. 5909, which would amend state labor law to treat the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) as a public employer and allow its employees to seek collective bargaining rights. The chair explained the Article 48 initiative process, noted that no opponents or members of the public had signed up to testify, and said written testimony would be accepted through March 20. The hearing focused on whether CPCS staff should be brought within the public-sector bargaining framework and how that would interact with the agency’s statutory duties.
Expert testimony began with an NCSL analyst, who gave a national overview of public employee bargaining rights and examples of public defender unions in other states and localities, including Colorado, New York City, Indianapolis, Cook County, Maryland, and Illinois. Department of Labor Relations officials then reviewed prior failed organizing efforts at CPCS and its predecessor, explaining that earlier petitions were dismissed because the agency was not considered a public employer under existing law. They said passage of the initiative would not automatically unionize employees, but would allow a union to petition for an election or written majority authorization, with normal unit-appropriateness and supervisory/confidential employee issues still to be resolved.
CPCS Chief Counsel Anthony Benedetti testified that the agency supports providing information to the legislature but is not taking a position for or against unionization. He described CPCS’s statutory responsibilities, size, and current efforts to expand staffing after recent indigent-defense crises, and said any new bargaining framework would need to operate alongside the agency’s obligations to provide counsel. Proponents from SEIU Local 888 and allied labor groups argued that CPCS employees have long been denied the same collective bargaining rights as other public workers, and that a union would provide just-cause protections, a voice on staffing and working conditions, and better support for recruitment and retention. CPCS attorneys and staff testified in favor of the measure, citing heavy caseloads, rapid expansion, inadequate supervision and office support, and the need for representation in disciplinary and workplace disputes. Committee members asked about bargaining-unit composition, the role of the DLR, the effect of unionization on attorneys’ ethical duties, and the use and cost of paid signature gathering. The hearing ended with no votes taken and no opposition testimony presented.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the joint public hearing, or the public hearing, of the Joint Committee on Municipalities
- Welcome to my least favorite hearing room.
- Can you hear me? Okay.
- Can you hear me? Okay. Robert Muscali is here. Can you hear me?
- Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent. Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a public hearing with opening remarks from House Chair Jack Patrick Lewis and Senate Chair Becker-Rouche, who reviewed livestream and testimony procedures and noted the three-minute limit. The committee then heard testimony on several local and policy bills. Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia spoke in support of a Boston home rule petition to expand accountability and oversight, describing it as a way to improve city government and public trust. Falmouth Select Board Chair Robert Muscali testified in support of H.5107 and related bills, emphasizing the urgency of changing the town clerk from elected to appointed before upcoming elections and noting the need for experienced administration.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston and MSPCA representatives testified in support of H.4849, a late-filed bill tied to animal control and the implementation of Ollie’s Law. They said the bill would update outdated kennel and dog licensing provisions, allow alternative identification methods instead of requiring tags in kennels, improve reporting and enforcement to MDAR, and strengthen the Massachusetts Animal Fund by allowing partial owner contributions and directing certain fines into the fund. They also said the changes would help address a long waitlist for low-cost spay and neuter services and reduce municipal costs associated with unaltered animals. Committee members asked about the reported three-to-one municipal return on spay/neuter spending and about whether the bill would affect regional animal control arrangements; witnesses said it would not.
The committee also heard testimony on H.4887, a Plymouth home rule petition authorizing a special revenue account for land acquisition. Plymouth officials said the measure would give the town a tool to purchase land for open space, recreation, town buildings, affordable housing, and other public uses, supporting the town’s master planning efforts. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing. After confirming there were no additional witnesses, the chairs closed the public hearing and the committee adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Mar 3rd, 2026
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the joint public hearing, or the public hearing, of the Joint Committee on Municipalities
- Welcome to my least favorite hearing room.
- Can you hear me?
- Can you hear me? Okay. Robert Muscali is here. Can you hear me?
- Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent. Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a public hearing with opening remarks from House Chair Jack Patrick Lewis and Senate Chair Becker-Rouche, who outlined hearing procedures, livestreaming, three-minute testimony limits, and written testimony instructions. Members present were noted, and the committee proceeded to hear testimony on several municipal and local governance bills.
Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia testified in support of a home rule petition for Boston, describing it as a way to strengthen accountability, improve city government performance, and complement the work of the Inspector General rather than duplicate it. Robert Muscali, chair of the Falmouth Select Board, supported H. 5107 and related bills, explaining that Falmouth seeks to change its town clerk from elected to appointed status so the town can quickly fill the position before upcoming elections and ensure smooth administration. He emphasized the urgency created by the expected retirement of the current clerk and the town’s large voter base.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston and MSPCA representatives testified in support of H. 4849, a late-file bill addressing animal control and kennel regulation issues. They said the bill would update implementation of Ollie’s Law, improve reporting and enforcement, allow alternative identification for dogs in kennels instead of collars and tags, and strengthen the Massachusetts Animal Fund by permitting partial owner contributions and dedicating certain fines to the fund. Committee members asked about the claimed three-to-one return on spay/neuter spending and whether the bill would affect regional animal control arrangements; witnesses said it would not. Representatives from Plymouth then supported H. 4887, which would authorize a special revenue account to help the town acquire land for public uses such as open space, recreation, town buildings, and affordable housing. After no further testimony, the committee closed the hearing and adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Mar 3rd, 2026
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Welcome to the joint public hearing, or the public hearing, of the Joint Committee on Municipalities
- Welcome to my least favorite hearing room.
- Can you hear me? Okay. Robert Muscali is here. Can you hear me?
- Can you hear me?
- Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent. Do I hear a motion to adjourn? Excellent.
Bills:
H4738 , H4843 , H4844 , H4845 , H4849 , H4878 , H4887 , H4924 , H5052 , H5053 , S2878 , S2894 , S2897 , H5102 , H5107 , H5108 , H5109 , H5128 , H5136 , S2963 , S2956
Keywords:
Holyoke, City Council, municipal governance, special meetings, local government transparency, park land exchange, Lexington, public use, school committee, athletic fields, town administrator, employment authority, Wilbraham, local law, Uxbridge, public meeting notices, legal notices, municipal transparency, local government, digital publication
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, the motion is adopted.
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, the motion is adopted.
Bills:
HB 107 , HB742 , HB1639 , HB1700 , HB2071 , HB2187 , HB2402 , HB2516 , HB3211 , HB4529 , HB5342 , HB694 , HB923 , HB4655 , HB107
Committee:
Senate Health & Human Services
Keywords:
sickle cell disease, registry, health data, confidentiality, healthcare access, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, cancer, female firefighters, health study, state health services, fire protection, telemedicine, teledentistry, telehealth, health records
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on a series of health and human services bills and left each one pending after public testimony. HB 4655 would expand financial literacy instruction for youth aging out of foster care to include credit scores, predatory lending, scams, banking, budgeting, and related consumer topics; the sponsor and Buckner International described the need to protect foster youth from financial pitfalls. HB 923 would add three public members and one physician to the Texas Medical Disclosure Panel; supporters said it would improve informed consent and patient voice, while a witness raised concerns about a House amendment requiring a physician majority for decisions and senators questioned scope-of-practice limits. HHSC said the panel is an independent body and the bill expressly bars it from changing scope of practice.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Higher Education Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This hearing is the fourth of several hearings for our measures in 2020.
- Are there witnesses in opposition in the hearing room? Are there tweeners in the hearing room?
- Other witnesses in support in the hearing room. in the hearing room.
- Are there witnesses in opposition in the hearing room? Are there tweens in the hearing room?
- Are there witnesses in the hearing room? Are there witnesses in the hearing room?
Summary:
The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several measures focused on community college baccalaureate programs and trustee compensation. AB 2528 would raise the maximum monthly compensation cap for community college district trustees, with the author and supporters arguing the change is permissive, long overdue, and needed to make service more accessible to working people and better reflect community diversity. CSEA took a tweener position, warning about optics and asking for longer public notice before any compensation increase, while some members raised concerns about taxpayer costs and benefits. The bill was discussed but no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt.
The committee then took up AB 2053, which would authorize Coast Community College District to offer a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree. Supporters said the bill addresses a workforce shortage, serves working adults and veterans, and includes an LAO evaluation and a sunset. CSU and its Academic Senate opposed the bill, arguing it duplicates existing CSU programs and could set a precedent for more one-off degrees. Members also raised questions about funding, Prop. 98, and whether the program would divert resources; the author said the district already has funding and that the bill is a narrow pilot. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer the bill to Appropriations, with several ayes and some no votes, and the roll left open for additional members.
AB 2301, a pilot allowing up to 10 community college districts to offer nursing bachelor’s degrees, drew broad support from nursing, labor, and community college groups who said California faces a severe nursing shortage and that community colleges offer a more affordable pathway for working and rural students. CSU and other opponents argued existing ADN-to-BSN pathways are more efficient and that the bill could worsen competition for limited clinical placements and faculty. Members questioned funding and Prop. 98 impacts; the Chancellor’s Office said the pilot would not require new state funding and would rely on existing mechanisms such as Strong Workforce and nursing infrastructure grants. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer AB 2301 to Appropriations, with the roll again left open. The transcript then began AB 2694, a broader workforce-responsive baccalaureate expansion bill intended to address duplication rules and create a more flexible process for community college bachelor’s degrees, but the discussion was not completed in the excerpt.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Ways and Means Mar 31st, 2026
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm wearing two hearing aids that cost $7,500, and that was five years ago.
- We’ve been hearing about schools struggling, and I keep hearing them talking about behavioral outplacements
- And we’re hearing about these wonderful people that I’m hearing their stories about what they’re doing
- You know, it's important for all of us to hear this anyways.
- So with that, I will entertain a motion to adjourn this hearing. So moved. I hear a second.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- K, can you hear us? Yes, thank you. Okay, thank you. Mr. Knapp, can you hear us?
- Sue, can you hear us? Thank you. Can you hear me? I can.
- Okay, Ashley, can you hear us? Okay, Ashley, can you hear us?
- Ashley, it appears you're muted, if you can hear us. Can you hear me? Yes, now we can hear you.
- Hello, can you hear me? Yes, Mayor Lewis, can you hear us?
Committee:
House Local Government
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (Part I) May 21st, 2025
Health & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, it is so ordered.
- Hearing none, so ordered.
Bills:
HB 1106 , HB3284 , HB541 , HB713 , HB1403 , HB1586 , HB1942 , HB2070 , HB2844 , HB2851 , HB3151 , HB3749 , HB3940 , HB3963 , HB4454 , HB4466 , HB4795 , HB5154 , HB5394 , SB1357 , HB 1052 , HB4099 , HB4638 , HB5147
Committee:
Senate Health & Human Services
Keywords:
child abuse, neglect, gender identity, sexual orientation, child welfare, marriage, family, Texas Commission, family welfare, marriage support, stability, premarital education, child development, strong families, direct patient care, healthcare, physicians, medical services, insurance regulation, maternal health
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (04/24/2025)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:17:28.319><c> that</c> stakeholder um every public hearing that stakeholder um every public hearing
- yesterday and in hearing the in the<00:17:56.960><c> hearing</c><00:17:57.280><c> that</c><00:17:57.440
- Um in hearing the the the the away.
- ,</c> comments in in the uh in in the hearing, comments in in the uh in in the hearing, you<00:18:34.880
- So I hear you. Um I agree all together? So I hear you. Um I agree on<00:34:32.879><c> that.
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE Feb 18th, 2026
ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE
Transcript Highlights:
- An administrative hearing is set.
- If the request is made, then we set basically a probable-cause hearing, a hearing for the commission
- to look at the facts, to... ...hearing, a hearing for the commission to look at the facts, to weigh the
- They're our hearing body. They are our division.
- Is that hearing moved up faster?
Committee:
All ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE
Summary:
The committee first heard from Arkansas State Police Director Mike Hager and other agency leaders about vehicle pursuits and tactical vehicle interventions (TVIs, formerly PIT maneuvers). Hager said Acts 734 of 2020 and 82 of 2022, which increased penalties for fleeing in a vehicle, along with a public campaign and work with prosecutors, helped reduce pursuits by 29% from 2023 to 2025, or 180 fewer pursuits last year than in 2023. He said the agency also added 120 troopers during that period and that the goal is to protect innocent civilians, officers, and suspects. Members asked about where pursuits occur most often, prosecution practices, the possibility of making fleeing charges non-pleadable like DWI, and a recent mistaken TVI incident involving the wrong vehicle; Hager said no one was injured in that incident and called it inexcusable.
The committee also discussed the Arkansas State Police Foundation. Hager explained that the foundation is a private support group made up largely of businesses and citizens that raises money for trooper-family scholarships, emergency relief for troopers affected by disasters or family hospitalizations, and facilities and training support, including the driving track. He said he was not aware of any lobbying activity by the foundation and praised its staff and leadership for supporting the agency beyond what the state budget can provide.
Next, Director Chris Chapman of the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training described the state’s decertification and officer accountability process. He said every separation from an agency must be reported, and if an officer leaves under circumstances that may warrant decertification, the file is flagged so any future hiring agency must be told the full history before the officer can be added to a roster. Chapman said the commission has increased decertification requests from 158 in the prior three years to 256 in the last three years, with 147 officers currently pending hearings, and that the backlog has been reduced from about four and a half years to about a year and a half. Members asked about resignations during investigations, appeal rights, citizen complaints, and FOIA access to decertification records; Chapman said those matters can trigger review, appeals go to circuit court, and the records are generally public. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after discussion of a possible future committee visit to a fish hatchery in Lonoke County.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Transcript Highlights:
- Hearing to order.
- Today's hearing is a hybrid hearing with bills that would be heard in the order in which they appear
- for a children and families hearing.
- hearing on this bill.
- The 72-hour hearing process ended up taking three months to get a hearing and appoint everyone attorneys
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on a package of Department of Children and Families bills focused on care and protection proceedings, sibling placement, parenting time, foster parent eligibility, adoption timelines, and a proposed Harmony Montgomery Commission. Rep. Marjorie Decker framed her bills as a set intended to reduce trauma for children removed from home by promoting sibling placement, visitation, cultural continuity, and limits on barriers to foster/adoptive placement. Witnesses from CASA, the Massachusetts Child Welfare Coalition, CPCS, and others generally supported the sibling-placement and parenting-time bills and the Harmony Commission, while several urged that the commission include a birth parent with lived experience and that its scope remain focused on child safety and family rights. A former juvenile court judge also supported the Harmony Commission, citing failures in the Harmony Montgomery case and broader concerns about DCF power and child representation. No votes were taken during the hearing.
A large portion of the hearing focused on Senate 114, the “Family Protection and Transparency Act,” which would require DCF to provide families with written and verbal notice of their rights during investigations, including the right to remain silent, consult counsel, and refuse entry absent legal authority except in emergencies. Supporters included parents, former foster youth, attorneys, advocates, and a peer mentor, many of whom described personal experiences of confusion, coercion, retaliation, and family separation when DCF became involved. They argued the bill would improve due process, language access, transparency, and accountability without limiting DCF’s emergency powers. Several witnesses also described intergenerational DCF involvement and said families often need resources and legal guidance rather than punitive intervention.
Testimony on House 268 emphasized the importance of keeping siblings together in foster care whenever possible. Advocates cited research showing better mental health, educational, and reunification outcomes when siblings remain together, and several young people testified about being separated from brothers and sisters and the lasting impact of that separation. CPCS supported the bill and said regular sibling visitation should be required when joint placement is not possible. House 269, 270, 271, 288, and 293 were also on the notice, but the transcript reflects little or no testimony on some of those measures. The hearing concluded after the committee heard from all scheduled witnesses and invited written testimony for additional details.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- We will first hear staff briefing, and then we will hear from the prime sponsor.
- We'll hear from staff, and then we will hear from the prime sponsor, Representative Entenman.
- hearing... ...on Substitute House Bill 2203.
- We'll start with staff briefing and then hear from the prime sponsor.
- I want to thank this committee for hearing the bill.
Bills:
HB2543
Committee:
Senate Law & Justice
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Civil Rights & Judiciary Jan 21st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Again, I thank you sincerely for hearing the bill. ...really for hearing the bill.
- We'll hear from Sean Graham in person.
- Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
- Thank you for hearing my testimony today.
- That concludes the hearing on House Bill 2320.
Summary:
The committee held public hearings on House Bill 2255, House Bill 2548, and House Bill 2320. HB 2255 would regulate third-party litigation funding by requiring disclosure of funders and agreements, prohibiting funder control over litigation, capping funder recovery at 25%, and creating enforcement remedies. Supporters, including the sponsor, insurance groups, and liability reform advocates, described it as a transparency and consumer-protection measure that could improve court efficiency and reduce costs. Opponents, including the Washington State Association for Justice and the commercial litigation funding industry, argued it would burden plaintiffs, reveal protected work product, chill access to justice, and create satellite litigation. No vote was taken; the chair closed the hearing and asked testifiers to submit written comments.
HB 2548 would expand state oversight of health care market transactions by broadening the types of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, and ownership/control changes that trigger notice to the Attorney General, pausing transactions until information requests are substantially complied with, expanding interagency data sharing, and revoking nonprofit status in certain transactions. Supporters, including patient advocates, nurses, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General’s office, physicians, and individual health care workers, said private equity and consolidation are driving higher costs, reduced access, and lower quality. Opponents from the Washington State Hospital Association and MultiCare said the bill is unclear, may contain drafting errors, does not adequately target private equity structures, and could create problems around nonprofit status and charitable assets. The hearing ended with the committee moving on to the next bill.
HB 2320 would update Washington’s ghost gun laws to address 3D-printed firearms, CNC manufacturing, digital firearm manufacturing code, and the sale of machines marketed for firearm production, and would make certain violations per se Consumer Protection Act violations. The sponsor and supporters, including school officials, gun violence prevention advocates, a trauma survivor, a 3D-printing industry representative, and others, said the bill closes a public safety loophole and responds to the growing availability of untraceable weapons. Opponents, including the NRA, makerspace representatives, and some industry witnesses, argued the bill is overbroad, may sweep in lawful 3D-printing and CNC activity, raises First, Second, and Fifth Amendment concerns, and could create uncertainty through rebuttable presumptions and the CPA provisions. The transcript ends during the HB 2320 hearing, with additional testimony panels still to come and no final committee action recorded.