Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I just a test from the industry standpoint that that has been a huge standard across us, Florida
• And lastly all say that, you know, some of the earlier meetings we talked about testing and all we do
• But is there an opportunity for parents to test drive?
• So when we're talking about, you know, these these going back to to to parents testing, yes, we have
• It will take on the role tested all that knowledge is the fact that there is a concern.

Transcript Highlights:

• And more recently, in Canada, we tested it in the worst conditions for a 10-year storm in Chile before
• In Canada, we tested it in the worst conditions for a 10-year storm in Chile for our full-scale system
• who helped So while we really thank California DWR, who helped finance the project for the city to test
• We've actually tested this in the Pacific Ocean.
• We've tested it down in Tasmania with the same kind of Macrocystis giant kelp that you get in California

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• other words, and you understand this, we come up 10 feet, 15 feet, whatever it is, and we seal it, test
• it, come up, seal it, test it, come up, seal it, test it.
• Test it, seal it, and then they're done.
• They really have, and they really put the test to trying to do the best they can.

Transcript Highlights:

• off-site industry between who's responsible, et cetera, leading with new financing tools, head-to-head testing
• We want to test off-site versus traditional methods on the same building sites so we can be very clear
• We don't believe that's true because, frankly, we don't believe it's properly been tested.
• And they said so many of those programs were cut in our quest for different academic achievement testing
• And they said so many of those programs were cut in our quest for different academic achievement testing

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee work session focused first on Civic Commons’ “starter home production plan,” a statewide strategy intended to increase production of homes affordable to households roughly between 60% and 120% of area median income. Presenters said the Covenant Home Ownership program will not succeed without more starter homes, and outlined recommendations including a temporary cross-sector crisis task force, a developer network, new financing tools, public seed funding, and a multi-site demonstration program to test off-site construction and standardized designs. Committee members asked about silos in the current system, the role of off-site and modular construction, target income ranges, and where the plan would be most useful. Civic Commons said the plan is meant to be statewide, community-informed, and respectful of local context, with pre-approved plans and standardized approaches for both single-family and multi-unit housing. The Department of Labor and Industries then gave an update on factory-built housing oversight. Officials said residential factory-built structures are a small but important part of their work and described progress in prioritizing residential plan reviews, which they said has reduced review time from months to about two days. They also reported creating a plans examiner supervisor position, moving forward with rules for third-party plan review and inspection, and beginning analysis of national standards from the Modular Building Institute to see whether they align with state code. Committee members and L&I discussed the value of standardized plans, real-time tracking for applicants, and the role of state inspection in reducing local jurisdictional variation. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council testified that it supports efforts to reduce permitting delays and increase housing production, but warned against weakening safety standards or labor protections. The labor representatives said prefabrication and modular construction can help if the workforce is protected, wages and apprenticeship opportunities are preserved, and projects use tools such as community workforce agreements. They also raised concerns about wage theft, misclassification, and unlicensed contractors in residential construction, and suggested stronger front-end contractor education or licensing. Committee members responded that the goal is to expand production without sacrificing safety or good jobs. The committee also heard city perspectives on local housing reforms. Olympia described its affordable housing emergency ordinance, which gives qualifying projects priority in the permitting queue, and said success depends on communication among housing staff, planners, engineers, and developers. Walla Walla, an early adopter of middle housing, reported increased ADUs, duplexes, and smaller-lot development after eliminating single-family zoning and expanding tools such as MFTE and ADU flexibility. Des Moines described adopting middle housing and ADU ordinances in June 2025 after a lengthy public process, while Poulsbo described proactive code changes including duplexes on corner lots, unit lot subdivisions, manufactured home protections, expanded ADU allowances, and pre-approved ADU plans shared with neighboring jurisdictions. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past few years, we've seen the very foundation of our democracy tested, our electoral processes
• We started our paperwork in 1990 and it took four years for us to be called to take the test.
• Because when you go in to take the test, you will be asked anywhere between five and ten questions, very
• I can still answer most of them, but they studied so that they can go take that test.
• It's a moral test of our commitment to the people that we represent and that we serve every single day

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What, what tests are you going to use at each of the grade levels and then acknowledge that.
• Figure out what test you want to use, and if, you know, for at the high school level is it this, and
• people into one particular area and, and then you, you go and you're, you're basically teaching to the test
• Uh, assessments that they've built that they've created all the way back to the star test with Renaissance
• Uh, so I don't really like, uh, standardized tests very much for a whole variety of reasons, but I will

Transcript Highlights:

• We're working with a couple vendors to test that.
• It also, in the executive order, had a requirement for WATech to establish a sandbox or testing environment
• If you want to identify and explore a risk, you have to test a bit.
• But also security—having a very secure implementation, tested and really well understood, is absolutely
• In the case, again, in an... ...tested and really well understood implementation is absolutely important

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on technology in government, AI, broadband, and digital equity. Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd described the city’s AI strategy, emphasizing responsible use, privacy, security, community input, and data strategy. He said Seattle is using small pilots and partnerships to test AI for tasks such as public records processing, infrastructure inspection, and permitting, while keeping humans as the final decision-makers. Members asked about bias, liability, training on best practices, labor involvement, and public records; Lloyd said AI should remain an assistant tool, not a replacement for human judgment, and that Seattle is still testing solutions for records requests and permitting. WATech CTO Nick Stow and Deputy Director Mark Quimby discussed the state’s broader AI policy, the generative AI executive order, a sandbox with more than 15 agencies, and use cases including a resident portal, cybersecurity, and wildfire detection. They stressed consent, closed systems, human-centered design, and the need to govern all forms of AI, not just generative AI. Committee members raised concerns about federal data access, labor issues, and wildfire detection effectiveness. Spokane County IT staff described a more restrictive approach to AI, citing privacy, bias, and cyber risks. The county standardized on Microsoft Copilot as its only approved chat-style AI tool, blocked other AI chat platforms, and requires human review of all AI-generated content. They said AI is also being used by criminals for phishing and deepfakes, underscoring the need for strong policy and security controls. The committee also received an update from the Attorney General’s AI Task Force. Yuki Ishizuka said the task force has 19 members and eight subcommittees covering ethics, consumer protection, labor, health care, public safety, education, government efficiency, cybersecurity, and industry/energy. The task force is working toward an interim report due December 1, 2025 and a final report due July 1, 2026, and is reviewing recommendations through public forums and advisory committees. Ishizuka warned that a federal budget reconciliation provision could bar states from enforcing AI regulations for 10 years, and several members voiced support for state authority and asked about possible 2026 legislation. The committee then heard updates on broadband and digital equity. Commerce’s Dave Pringle said the BEAD broadband program is being reshaped by new NTIA guidance, which removed or reduced emphasis on several prior priorities, and Washington is now working under an expedited process to submit its state application by September 4. He noted that no projects have been built yet, that four counties did not receive applications in round two, and that the state is trying to keep applicants engaged through office hours and a shortened review window. The Office of Equity and the Digital Equity Forum reported increased participation, new members, and ongoing outreach to tribal, rural, and underserved communities, while previewing recommendations such as creating an interdepartmental digital equity team and improving data use. Finally, Lumen’s Robert Thoms described private-sector broadband deployment challenges, including permitting, regulation, and the economics of extending fiber, while noting continued investment in overbuild projects, a $30 low-cost service option tied to the former ACP, and work with the state, tribes, and libraries. No votes were taken; the meeting consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been plenty of independent testing that has been done on this many conducting taking samples
• Barry compounds are also found in this independent testing that also can contribute to Castro diseases
• I think there's a balancing test.
• study of a mother's young mothers in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, 100% tested
• words very specifically say if warranted and therefore, it's a discretionary subjective, a a litmus test

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The answer that for my old for my old job, they're actually 3 that don't require standardized tests
• They have to have a standardized admission test from my understanding that what would be a standardized
• tests for a trade school. >> Thank you, Mister Chairman.
• Favor groups are admitted despite lower scores on the medical college aptitude test, we're not required
• to take the test at all for one of the 3 part United States Medical licensing exam, which is the most

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To initially test my water and install the filters, it cost over $3,000, and annual maintenance of these
• You would then obviously have to put the burden on private citizens to test that water, which, in the
• 00:15:30.680> to burd basically on private citizens to burd basically on private citizens to test
• 00:15:32.720> I<00:15:32.920> just<00:15:33.040> tell<00:15:33.160> you test
• that water which um I just tell you test that water which um I just tell you in<00:15:33.360> the

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:04 SB 89 Discussion 00:59 SB 89 Roll Call Vote 24:49, 958, all

Summary: The committee met in a special called session, confirmed a quorum, and took up Senate Bill 89. The sponsor, Scott Maiden, said the bill was intended to address permitting issues affecting coal and other industries, and he described it as supported by a broad coalition of business, agriculture, and industry groups. He said the bill would align Kentucky’s definition of “waters of the Commonwealth” with federal definitions and would codify the existing definition and calculation method for long-term treatment bond requirements at mine sites. He also emphasized that the bill would not eliminate groundwater protections, drinking water protections, or prohibitions on hazardous substance dumping. A committee amendment was discussed and adopted to add and clarify definitions, including navigable waters, sinkholes with open drains, certain springs, and wellhead protection areas. The sponsor said the amendment was intended to address concerns that the bill was too broad and noted that it was worked on with Louisville Water and other stakeholders. Testimony in opposition came from Rebecca Shelton of Appalachian Citizens Law Center, who argued the bill would leave private wells and groundwater vulnerable and cited groundwater contamination data. Nick Hart of Kentucky Waterways Alliance urged the committee to preserve the current definition and requested a statutory review and economic impact analysis. Audrey Ernsberger of Kentucky Resources Council said the bill would strip protections from most groundwater, ephemeral streams, karst aquifers, and many private wells, and warned of higher water-treatment costs and pollution risks. Members asked questions about the meaning of “carcinogenic” and the difficulty of cleaning up contamination in private wells. During roll call, several members explained their votes, with supporters saying the amendment protected water while preserving needed flexibility for industry, and opponents saying they could not risk weakening water protections or harming private wells and agriculture. The committee voted to pass SB 89 as amended with a favorable recommendation to the Senate, and then moved to roll the committee amendment into a committee substitute.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the true test of an institution is how it steps up in times of crisis.
• The pandemic and the Maui fire severely tested our limits to respond and adapt, and we answered the call
• :30:46.200> severely pandemic in the Maui fire severely pandemic in the Maui fire severely tested
• 47.519> to<00:30:47.760> respond<00:30:48.279> and<00:30:48.559> adapt tested
• our limits to respond and adapt tested our limits to respond and adapt and<00:30:49.640> we<00

Keywords: State of the Judiciary Address by Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:02.000> And students opting out of this test.
• And students opting out of this test.
• scores, but as I able to take test scores, but as I understand<00:26:22.320> it,<00:26:22.640
• issue that we've got a new MCA test? issue that we've got a new MCA test?
• We got a new MCA test.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:39.519> for the multiffactor dobert test for the multiffactor dobert test for testimony
• Test scores are often cited as proof.
• Test scores are often cited as proof. Test scores are often cited as proof.
• And finally, if I the testing option.
• tested for the hepatitis B um infection. tested for the hepatitis B um infection.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The system tests, when they do a stress test on the system, they do it by looking at what's known as
• test on the system they do it<00:06:11.080> by<00:06:11.319> looking<00:06:11.680>
• That's why they test this for mild and severe recessions.
• <00:43:35.720> scenarios um what these um stress test scenarios um what these um stress test
• stress test stress test scenario<00:45:07.040> thank<00:45:07.240> you<00:45:07.880

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 229 Davies STD testing hold in committee. AB 837, Davies, Ketamine, hold in committee.
• trustee appointee do pass out with Republicans not voting AB 1027 sharp Collins cannabis quality testing
• AB 1440, Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Pesticides Testing, do pass, that's out

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And when a student is tested, that comes out of the district's general education funds.
• Special education enrollment did begin to improve more testing, more identified, but there comes with
• We're getting testing done. We're identifying these kids. And now we have to fund the remediation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It passes the test.
• It passes the test.
• It passes the test. So we have a motion on the bill. Second.

Keywords: Roll Call 00:15 HJR 46 Discussion 00:43 HJR 46 Vote 2:58 HB 546 Discussion 04:10 HB 546 Vote 06:00 HB 443 Discussion 07:30 HB 443 Vote 09:35 HB 783 Discussion 10:29 HB 783 Vote 15:29, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered House Joint Resolution 46, a county priority projects resolution. Members approved a committee substitute that added $1.47 million and included Butler, Carroll, Casey, Cumberland, McGoffin, Monroe, and Nicholas counties. The resolution was then reported favorably with a title amendment and an expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up House Bill 546, which creates the local assistance road program and related rules. The committee substitute moved $47 million from the state-supported construction program back to priority projects and amended the Transportation Cabinet budget to unlock I-69 funding tied to Garvey bonds. After discussion about continuing to refine the program, the committee approved the substitute, adopted a title amendment, and reported the bill favorably with an expression of opinion that it should pass. House Bill 443 was then heard, extending the Hal Rogers Parkway from Hazard along Kentucky Route 80 to Perry and Floyd to support future federal funding and four-laning of the corridor. The committee reported it favorably with the expression of opinion that it should pass. Finally, House Bill 783 was presented as a response to temporary tag fraud in auto sales, with testimony from Representative Jackson, Warren County Sheriff Brad Hightower, and the Kentucky Auto Dealers Association. Supporters said the bill adds enforcement tools, including felony penalties for serious violations and discretion for the Motor Vehicle Commission so mistakes are not treated the same as deliberate fraud. The committee voted to report the bill favorably with the expression of opinion that it should pass.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would like to talk about public participation, working to address test cases, and strengthening information
• Testing can address the cases quickly and efficiently, which is key to our regulatory mission.
• We faced a deadline with adopting this second test, and only until about a month or two ago.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is passing the physical fitness test.
• If you don't pass a physical fitness test, we can't hire you as a correctional officer trainee.
• Certain level on the physical fitness test, and the community college system at their campuses.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• they're bruised, the sounds, their eyelids are sewn shut, and they're—I don't know why this type of testing
• . 1167, H. 1948, an act to protect non-human primate infants in research institutions and product testing
• The majority of drugs tested on animals don't work in humans.
• Senate Bill 1167, an act to protect non-human primate infants in research institutions and product testing
• true in animals, when we come to humans, they are not true. 97% of the drugs that are approved and tested

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy public hearing on a wide range of civil actions, labor, consumer protection, and animal welfare bills. Chair Lydia Edwards and Representative Michael Day opened with strict testimony rules and time limits, then heard from legislators and advocates on measures including animal-abuser pet ownership bans (S. 1207/H. 1914), a name-change privacy bill (S. 1045/H. 1973), tort claims reform (H. 1724), law enforcement council coverage under the Tort Claims Act (S. 1199), civil rights and qualified immunity-related proposals (H. 1641), employee free speech/captive audience restrictions (S. 1078/H. 1653), consumer protection and civil rights jurisdiction expansion (S. 1041), private right of action for wage theft (H. 1916), gun-owner liability insurance (H. 1836), pseudoephedrine sales tracking (S. 1243/H. 1581), prepaid legal services plans (H. 1612), structured settlement protections (H. 1863), third-party litigation financing disclosure (H. 1861), antitrust reform for small businesses and workers (S. 1038/H. 1982), legal notices in online-only newspapers (S. 1279/H. 1632), and several animal cruelty and protection bills including H. 1938, H. 1949, S. 1277/H. 1934, and H. 1764. Testimony was largely supportive from bill sponsors and advocacy groups, with repeated themes of protecting vulnerable people and animals, improving access to justice, and updating outdated laws. Supporters of the animal bills argued for stronger possession bans, broader cruelty citations, and civil removal tools to prevent repeat abuse; opponents or conditional supporters raised due process and enforcement concerns, especially around warrantless seizures and requiring retail or shelter staff to check registries. On the labor and consumer side, supporters said the antitrust bill would curb monopoly power and help small businesses and workers, while opponents warned it could destabilize competition and burden successful firms. The employee free speech bill was backed as a response to captive audience meetings, and the wage-theft bill was presented as a way to let workers or organizations pursue claims when individual employees are afraid to come forward. Several public officials and association representatives testified on the law enforcement and civil rights bills. Chiefs of police supported adding law enforcement councils to the Tort Claims Act, saying it would close a liability gap for regional mutual-aid collaborations. But police representatives opposed changes to the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act and qualified immunity-related provisions, arguing the federal system already provides a workable forum and that expanding liability could increase costs, reduce morale, and worsen recruitment and retention. On the consumer/civil rights bill, Senator Collins and a veteran described an out-of-state assault case that they said showed the need for Massachusetts to let residents seek redress at home when rights are violated elsewhere. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself; the committee mainly received testimony and questions. Several witnesses indicated they had submitted written testimony or proposed amendments, and some bills drew requests for favorable reports while others were explicitly opposed unless amended.