Transcript Highlights:

• If the state authority owns and builds a transmission line, will that generate any local property tax
• If the state authority owns and builds a transmission line, will that generate any local property tax
• A state transmission authority will analyze and support development of our system with our specific state
• We do think there needs to be some additional elements. ...that help the state build more transmission
• Are we doing the same in our great state?

Bills: HB2747

Keywords: budget sustainability, state finance, fiscal policy, economic growth, government spending, 904, all

Bills: HJR1086, SB392

Keywords: judicial rules, public safety, state agencies, permanent rules, legislative approval, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• state crime?
• </c> comparable state crime to that. comparable state crime to that.
• </c> state law. state law.
• And then again as a state the state agencies will be able to see a dashboard for the entire state so
• the state agencies will be able to state the state agencies will be able to see<00:55:07.359><c> a</

Bills: SF0101

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> something that's happening in the state something that's happening in the state now?
• </c> law-abiding citizens in this state. law-abiding citizens in this state.
• </c><00:36:37.440><c> if</c> state and to the laws of this state if state and to the laws of this state
• That's not a state law.
• They do owners across the state.

Bills: SF0101

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

Transcript Highlights:

• However, that bill applied to all of the state's regional universities and The Evergreen State College
• The fiscal note states no fiscal impact.
• a lot of great work was done before this bill was introduced and throughout this session to really build
• I also believe that it's a bill that will help theaters across the state of Washington.
• We are very fortunate in Washington State to have nonpartisan and partisan staff to help us with that

Bills: HB1526

Keywords: liquor license, snack bar, state regulations, alcohol sales, business licensing, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• prospective payment system rate for Medicare patients, but payments for Medicaid clients are up to the state
• For the record, Lisa Thatcher, representing the Washington State Hospital Association, here today in
• We don't have anything to recognize that in our Washington state law.
• ... ...including a critical stretch of the I-90 corridor west of Spokane and State Highway 395 north
• Washington state law currently lacks the framework to handle REH Medicaid claims.

Bills: SB6103

Keywords: rural healthcare, emergency services, hospital payments, state appropriation, public health, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:22.079><c> with</c> reminder, too, there are 46 states with reminder, too, there are 46 states
• wasn't good for the state.
• wasn't good for the state.
• wasn't good for the state.
• Uh Representative Harshman, I state.

Bills: SF0024

Keywords: lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in line with other state agencies.
• </c> those properties that are that are state those properties that are that are state or<00:12:42.320
• They are taxed at the agricultural rate for the land and the buildings are taxed as any other building
• They are taxed at the agricultural rate for the land and the buildings are taxed as any other building
• c><00:16:00.639><c> building.

Bills: SF0024

Keywords: lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to grow in our state, we have to find a fair, balanced process.
• to grow in our state, we have to find a fair, balanced process.
• to grow in our state, we have to find a fair, balanced process.
• to grow in our state, we have to find a fair, balanced process.
• to grow in our state, we have to find a fair, balanced process.

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The council is made up of nine state agencies and six governor-appointed community members from around
• throughout the state.
• throughout the state.
• throughout the state.
• throughout the state.

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And is it possible for state employees to lose their full health care coverage and working for the state
• And is it possible for state employees to lose their full health care coverage and working for the state
• But the state does not contribute to their premiums.
• The state does not contribute to their premiums.
• are state employees?

Bills: SB2160

Keywords: health insurance, public employees, uniform group insurance, retirement, state employees, 908, all

Summary: The committee resumed work on Senate Bill 2160, which would move the Public Employees Retirement System health plan from grandfathered to non-grandfathered status under the Affordable Care Act. PERS officials Rebecca Frickie and Derek Holbein explained that the bill would allow more flexibility in plan design, including higher deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket maximums, while also adding enhanced preventive benefits. They clarified that ACA “essential health benefits” apply to individual and small-group markets, not to PERS as a large employer, and that the bill’s projected cost increases were based on actuarial estimates and prior bid scenarios from Sanford and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Members debated whether the bill would actually save money or simply shift costs to employees. Supporters argued that non-grandfathered status would create more levers to manage medical inflation and could produce net premium savings through plan redesign, citing prior bid comparisons showing potential reductions of 1% to 8% depending on the option. Opponents, including Representative Schauer and North Dakota United president Nick Archelette, questioned how the state would pay for the estimated $25 million to $30 million in added benefits and warned that employees could face higher out-of-pocket costs amid already strained household budgets. Frickie said the legislature would control funding decisions and that current law requiring the state to pay full family premiums could be changed only by statute. The committee also discussed reserve funding, with members noting that a $4.3 million reserve draw in the bill was intended to cover the final months of the biennium and could be modified. After testimony and discussion, Vice Chair Johnson moved a do-pass recommendation and referral to Appropriations. The motion passed 10-3-1, with Representatives Ostlie, Schatz, and Schauer voting no. Representative Gump agreed to carry the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the peace that we have today. ...thanks for the peace that we have today in this room, in this state
• I mean, is it just... is this city... ...is it just city, county, and state?
• I believe I'm looking... ...some requests to verify, but I believe this is state only, but it's an opt-in
• So, local can opt in, but it applies to state and... ...opt in, but it applies to state and...
• Higher Education in consideration with the State Department of Education.

Bills: HB226, HB24, HB309, HB315, HB272, HB24, HB226, HB309, HB315, HB272

Keywords: HB226, homestead exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax, property tax relief, widow, widower, unremarried spouse, surviving spouse, senior exemption, elderly, disabled, permanently and totally disabled, blind taxpayer, deed ownership, principal residence, school tax, county tax, municipal tax, Alabama Department of Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> laws in the state of Hawaii. laws in the state of Hawaii.
• </c> officials in the state of Hawaii. officials in the state of Hawaii.
• very small state budgets.
• very small state budgets.
• very small state budgets.

Bills: SB2603, SB3007, SB3019, SB3022, SB2795, SB2256, SB3250, SB2147

Keywords: Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, state funding, public performances, educational programs, cultural arts funding, culture and arts, arts policy, cultural preservation, community development, economic revitalization, place-based planning, public spaces, historic preservation, adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, business improvement district, Honolulu Chinatown, DBEDT, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, state foundation on culture and the arts

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2603 SD1, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state symphony orchestra, require annual reports to the legislature, and appropriate funds. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from the orchestra, the Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Arts Alliance, business and arts groups, and many individuals. Supporters emphasized the orchestra’s cultural value, its role in inspiring youth and supporting arts education, and its broader community impact. No opposition or questions were raised, and the chair offered praise for the level of public engagement around the measure. The committee then took up SB 3007 SD2, relating to culture and the arts, which would create an Office of Community Culture and Innovation within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, require annual reporting, appropriate funds, and establish a Community and Cultural Partnerships Program. The Attorney General’s office warned that section four, which separately funds preservation and relocation of artwork from Aloha Stadium, may be non-germane and should be moved to a separate bill; it also suggested the office would be more properly placed under DAGS rather than SFCA. SFCA Director Karen Ewald testified with concerns about added costs, staffing burdens, and the need for earlier communication, while also saying the agency could support the work if properly coordinated. Opposition testimony argued the bill was duplicative or unnecessary, while supporters, including Governor Abercrombie and Dean Sakamoto, said it would help communities, especially Chinatown, and could support planning and cultural revitalization. The chair noted roughly eight opposition testimonies and five in support, and questioned witnesses about coordination and the cost of relocating the Aloha Stadium artwork, which Ewald estimated could cost at least $1.2 million. The AG’s office said removing section four would substantially reduce legal risk. Finally, the committee heard SB 3019 SD2, a consumer protection measure that would cap ticket resale prices at no more than $3 above the original price for events in Hawaii and authorize DCCA to adopt enforcement rules and fines. The Office of Consumer Protection opposed the bill, arguing it would strain limited enforcement resources, push sales to less regulated channels, and likely eliminate the protections offered by established secondary platforms. Chamber of Progress also opposed the bill, saying price caps would encourage black-market sales, scams, and fraud, and that resale markets serve legitimate consumer needs. In support, the National Independent Venue Association backed the measure, though the remainder of its testimony was not fully captured in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• As soon as the build is over, all of a sudden we've got 2,000 employees that aren't even building anything
• Washington state.
• There's stories like that around not just the state of Washington, but other states that are competing
• Housing costs remain out of reach for most people in Washington state, and child care in this state rivals
• I believe the capital budget builds those four walls and a roof for Washington State.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• . you've always been genuine state.
• Thinking about ways that you can build on that.
• Please state your point. Please state your point.
• and the Washington State House of Representatives.
• Washington State House of Representatives.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• May the rains come in their season and nourish this beautiful state.
• It is not just a piggy bank for state government.
• And yes, the state contributed, but it is more complicated than that. The state contributed.
• No other state has achieved such a thing. No other state has achieved such a thing.
• The state of Washington manages The precedent that it sets.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Transcript Highlights:

• If you could be the OSPI of the entire state, the superintendent of the entire state, and then every
• And when I heard that we in Washington State had a 44% rate, States.
• state but are registered businesses here in the state, and they are, of course, required to comply with
• And so we didn't build or need to build a lot of new... I apologize.
• And so we didn't build or need to build a lot of new... I apologize.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House first took up Substitute Senate Bill 6225, a transportation bond measure. Supporters said it was needed to fund preservation and maintenance of Washington’s transportation system, including road upkeep and emergency repairs, while opponents argued the state had already addressed current needs through a recent unanimous budget and existing bond authority. The bill passed final passage 59-38, meeting the required three-fifths vote. The House then considered Gross Substitute Senate Bill 6260, an education budget-related bill with many floor amendments focused on transition to kindergarten, alternative learning experience (ALE) funding, local effort assistance (LEA), educational service district reserves, superintendent pay, MSOC funding, and collective bargaining limits. Most proposed amendments were rejected, though Amendment 2654 on TK priorities was adopted. After the committee amendment as amended was adopted, the bill advanced to third reading and then passed 50-47. Supporters described it as a necessary budget reduction and risk-management measure; opponents argued it cut K-12 funding too deeply, especially in rural and property-poor districts, and would worsen inequities and invite litigation. The House also concurred in Senate amendments and passed several other bills. House Bill 1796, about school construction financing and capital levy use, passed 95-2. Second Substitute House Bill 2105, dealing with immigrant worker protections, passed 58-38. Engrossed House Bill 2211, on food sourcing for a health-related program, passed unanimously. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2225, regulating companion chatbots and child safety, passed 74-21. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2247, related to animal care, passed unanimously. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2418, streamlining permitting timelines to support housing affordability, also passed unanimously. The House then moved on to additional Senate-concurred bills, beginning with Second Substitute House Bill 1906.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a vote-by-mail state, we don't face the same kind of issues that other states do on matters of voter
• than our state where everyone votes by mail.
• Please state your point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• We have such an amazing state. I love taking my family across all four corners of our state.
• We need to do a better job of convincing folks and showing off our state to people outside of our state

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House began by signing several bills and receiving messages from the Senate that multiple House bills had passed there or that Senate bills had been signed. It then took up third reading and concurrence on a series of bills, often with sponsors explaining that Senate amendments were technical, clarifying, or improved the bills, while opponents argued some amendments broadened exemptions, weakened election protections, or created tax increases and other unintended consequences. Among the most debated measures were bills related to election administration and voting rights, utility and energy programs, local government finance, tourism promotion, and public safety. House Bill 2215 failed to concur in Senate amendments after concerns that an exemption was too broad. House Bill 1710, dealing with voting rights/election procedures, passed 57-39 after a roll call vote despite objections that it could complicate elections and reduce local control. House Bill 1750 and House Bill 1916 also passed after roll calls, with supporters describing them as technical or protective of election integrity and opponents warning about voter dilution, local authority, and access issues. Other bills passed with varying levels of support: House Bill 1903 on utility assistance passed 70-26 after supporters said it would help small counties and make the program voluntary and state-funded; House Bill 2532 on nitrous oxide sales passed unanimously as a public health and youth safety measure; House Bill 1974 on housing/conservation-related policy passed 59-37 amid debate over nonprofit advantages and county revenue impacts; House Bill 2296 passed 95-1 after supporters said it would help renters and utilities with energy efficiency; House Bill 2325 passed 91-5 with added transparency for tourism oversight; House Bill 2442 passed 51-45 despite sharp disagreement over property tax and levy implications; and House Bill 2594 passed 95-1 as the state version of McKinney-Vento protections for unhoused students. The House also transmitted or received several bills and ended the session briefly at ease.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will be rising in no today for the reasons that were previously stated.
• Please state your point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Computer code is speech.
• Computer code is speech.
• How an individual can possess computer code.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, approved the prior day’s minutes, and then recessed briefly for caucus. The chamber received several Senate messages, including concurrence on amendments and the signing of Engrossed Senate Bill 5068, before moving into third reading and final passage of multiple bills. Most of the floor debate centered on concurrence with Senate amendments and the policy effects of those changes. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170 passed 55-38 and was described as reorganizing and clarifying how Climate Commitment Act auction revenues are distributed among state accounts; supporters said it would create a clearer budget process, while opponents objected to shifting funds away from transportation and capital uses and reducing tax relief. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 passed 54-40 after debate over Climate Commitment Act account structure and operating-account allocations. Engrossed House Bill 2445 passed 66-29 on probate-related changes, with supporters citing clarifications and opponents saying it did not go far enough to limit outside involvement in probate matters. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 2334 80-15, with little debate after Senate “perfecting” changes. Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 passed 86-9; supporters said it would replace an inconsistent property tax on wind, solar, and battery storage facilities with a stable excise tax to benefit rural communities, counties, and labor, while opponents focused on tax impacts and local burdens. Additional bills passed included Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500 on HOA resale certificates (61-34), Second Substitute House Bill 1909 creating a Court Unification Task Force (57-38), Engrossed House Bill 2156 expanding Attorney General investigative authority over economic and financial crimes (54-41 on reconsideration), Substitute House Bill 2539 on inmate funds and related deductions (57-38), Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548 on health care facility mergers and market oversight (55-41), Engrossed House Bill 2588 on local control for the Lummi ferry system (56-40), and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 on gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms (58-38). The House also agreed not to concur in Senate amendments to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 and retransmitted it to the Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will be rising in no today for the reasons that were previously stated.
• Speaker, the bill would be bad enough on its own merits. ...in this state. Mr.
• Please state your point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Computer code is speech.
• How an individual can possess computer code.

Bills: HB2720, HB2073, SB5816, SB5919, SB5831, SB6244, SB6044, SB5109, SB5877, SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the previous day’s minutes, heard Senate messages on several bills, and then took up a series of third-reading and concurrence votes. The chamber also received notice that the Senate had concurred in House amendments to several other bills and that the Senate President had signed Engrossed Senate Bill 5068. Members then considered a slate of bills dealing with climate commitment account revenue, court administration, attorney general investigative authority, inmate funds, health care facility transactions, ferry governance, gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms, and renewable energy tax treatment. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170, Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251, Engrossed House Bill 2445, Substitute House Bill 2334, Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500, Second Substitute House Bill 1909, Engrossed House Bill 2156, Substitute House Bill 2539, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548, Engrossed House Bill 2588, and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 all received final passage after Senate amendments, with several members speaking in support or opposition. Supporters generally described the measures as clarifying revenue accounts, improving court access, protecting consumers, updating inmate account limits, addressing hospital consolidation, enabling local ferry management, and strengthening gun-violence prevention or renewable-energy tax policy. Opponents raised concerns about reduced transparency, expanded bureaucracy, shifting costs, attorney general overreach, limits on local control, and First Amendment or property-rights issues. Recorded votes showed passage on each of those bills, with margins ranging from narrow to broad: 55-38 on HB 1170, 54-40 on HB 2251, 66-29 on HB 2445, 80-15 on SHB 2334, 86-9 on ESHB 1960, 61-34 on ESHB 1500, 57-38 on SSB 1909, 54-41 on EHB 2156 after reconsideration, 57-38 on SHB 2539, 55-41 on ESHB 2548, 56-40 on EHB 2588, and 58-38 on ESHB 2320. The House also agreed to retransmit Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 to the Senate after deciding not to concur in the Senate’s fourth amendment. The meeting ended with both caucuses called and the House at ease.