Transcript Highlights:

• freedom, preserving economic prosperity, and ensuring the protection of vital maritime trade routes and ports

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the pledge, attendance, and a series of guest introductions and recognitions, including the Dr. of the Day, Korean community guests, students, local officials, and a proclamation honoring the future USS Arizona SSN-803 and the USS Arizona Legacy Foundation. The chamber also announced committee assignments and took up several procedural motions, including reconsideration motions on HB 4027 and HB 2444, both of which were granted and returned to third reading. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider measures on Calendar Numbers One and Two. In Committee of the Whole, HB 4034, dealing with CTE-related issues, was amended and reported do pass after debate over concerns from Tempe Union High School District and EVIT, with supporters saying the bill clarified statute and reduced future disputes. HB 2444 was amended and reported do pass. HB 2992, a pilot program related to sexual abuse prevention, drew opposition over concerns about opt-out instruction, pilot status, and classroom burdens, but it passed Committee of the Whole on a 31-21 division vote after amendments. HB 4027, involving highway naming, was amended and reported do pass despite objections that the amendment still appeared to elevate Charlie Kirk over the existing Ed Pastor designation. On third reading, HB 293 passed 31-22 and HB 2502 passed 37-16. HB 2229, relating to maternal services and funding for pregnancy resource centers, generated extensive debate over abortion-related implications and was defeated 26-27, though a motion to reconsider later succeeded 27-21. HB 2533 failed on reconsideration, while HB 2750 passed 44-9 and HB 2999, a special taxing districts bill tied to housing affordability, passed 32-21 after supporters argued it would lower financing costs and help build more affordable homes. H.C.M. 2009, urging federal action to streamline access to minerals on federal land withdrawals, passed 31-22. The House adjourned until the next day after additional announcements and personal privilege remarks, including a proclamation for Sleep Apnea Awareness Month and a call for more efficient floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• freedom, preserving economic prosperity, and ensuring the protection of vital maritime trade routes and ports

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rule does is it creates a new license class, the S4N class, for nonprofits to sell alcohol in our ports

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then considered a series of House bills and committee substitutes. House Bill 5438, dealing with changes to Step 7 of the school aid formula and allowable uses of certain education allocations, was amended to adopt the Education Committee’s changes and then reported to the full Senate. House Bill 4087 creating the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance was also reported, as was House Bill 4191, which expands child care tax credit eligibility for employer-sponsored facilities and changes subsidy payments from attendance-based to enrollment-based reimbursement; senators emphasized its workforce and economic development benefits. House Bill 5074, which reallocates medical cannabis fund balances and future revenues, was amended to increase the Child Protective Commission pilot funding from $3 million to $5 million and remove proposed ibogaine research funding for Marshall and WVU before being reported. House Bill 5353, regulating virtual currency kiosks and money transmission licensure, and House Bill 5527, creating licensure and oversight for wellness reimbursement program administrators, both received strike-and-insert amendments and were reported. House Bill 5687, which phases down the metallurgical coal severance tax and adds a temporary oil and gas tax reduction with county/municipal revenue adjustments, was amended and reported. House Bill 4418, creating an electronic system for municipal business and occupation tax filing and collection with a 1% administrative fee and a participation threshold, was also reported. The committee then took up House Bill 4245, the Revenue Rules Bundle, which bundles 26 legislative rules from the Department of Revenue and related agencies. The bundle included alcohol, banking, insurance, racing, and tax rules, with several sunset extensions and repeals of outdated rules; the committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment affecting a lottery consumer protection rule and a pre-need cemetery company rule, then reported the bill. House Bill 5168, providing a $12 million lottery-funded stream for emergency medical services, was amended to clarify the uses of the funds, rename one fund, require a 30% county match for mental health treatment spending, and create two additional county-based EMS funds; senators described it as a needed permanent funding source for EMS, and it was reported. Throughout the meeting, members generally supported the measures, with some discussion on technical details, funding allocations, and the impact of the bills on local services and workforce needs. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced that Senate House Bills 4004, 4006, and 4009 would not be taken up that day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, my name is James Coburn with the Washington Public Ports Association, speaking in support

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several capital-related bills. HB 2353 would raise the pre-design threshold for state-funded capital projects from $10 million to $15 million and index it to inflation beginning in 2027. The sponsor and a testifier said the change would reduce delays and save money on projects by avoiding costly pre-design work for mid-sized projects; staff noted the bill could reduce future capital budget costs. HB 2420 would increase the Small Works roster contract cap in stages from $350,000 to $650,000 by 2030, with a proposed substitute shifting the first increase from July 2026 to January 2027 to allow time for rulemaking. Testimony from universities, cities, ports, counties, and water/sewer districts supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden, speed projects, and help small and diverse contractors. The committee also heard HB 2470, which would change how the School Construction Assistance Program treats school facilities on military bases. Staff explained the bill would exclude on-base instructional space from a district’s available-space calculation and adjust state assistance to account for federal funding, potentially increasing eligibility for affected districts such as Clover Park and Medical Lake. The sponsor and supporters said current rules unfairly reduce state support for districts serving military families; OSPI testified in support but said the bill would need amendment to avoid federal-law issues and was working on a revised approach that would increase the SCAP funding assistance percentage instead of directly referencing federal funds. Clover Park School District and the Veterans Legislative Coalition also supported the measure. In executive session, the committee moved HB 2338, which expands the low-income weatherization program to include community-scaled projects, out of committee with a do-pass recommendation by a vote of 17 ayes and 2 excused. The committee then held a work session with the Recreation and Conservation Office on its competitive grant programs, including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program accounts, youth athletic facilities, community forests, aquatic lands, boating, off-road vehicle, firearms and archery, and federal grant programs. Members asked about demand, ADA compliance, geographic distribution, and technical assistance; RCO said demand is high in several programs and that it uses scoring criteria, regional allocations, and outreach to improve access statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rural roads are commerce routes, moving goods to ports and giving visitors access to Florida's trail

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, including recognition of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial executive appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities, described as a broad “Rural Renaissance” package. Sponsor Senator Simon outlined provisions creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program for counties facing population loss, housing and transportation investments, additional funding for rural education, and rural health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping grant language tied to new federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties generally supported the bill, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural areas and how funds would be accessed. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gates said the bill responds to Auditor General findings by separating scholarship funding from public school funding, requiring student identification and enrollment verification, reducing administrative fees for scholarship funding organizations, requiring annual audits, and directing the Department of Education to develop a competitive selection and performance-based business plan for those organizations. Three amendments were adopted, including changes to the stabilization fund and documentation requirements. Senators from both parties debated transparency, accountability, and implementation concerns, with some also urging future attention to declining-enrollment school districts and the quality of scholarship providers. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County visitors in the gallery, and adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida's arterial roads modernization: Rural roads are commerce routes, moving goods to ports and giving

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Founders’ Day and a visiting debate student. The chamber then received and adopted, by a 39-0 vote, a committee report confirming 52 gubernatorial appointments to various state, regional, and local boards and commissions. The first major bill was SB 250 on rural communities. Senator Simon described it as a broad rural renaissance package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance Grant Program, housing and transportation investments, and additional education and health care support. Two amendments were adopted to remove overlapping rural health provisions after Florida secured federal rural health funding and to update hospital funding estimates. Senators from both parties spoke in support, though some raised questions about eligibility for certain rural grants and the distribution of federal funds. The bill passed 39-0. The Senate then took up CS/SB 318 on educational scholarship programs. Senator Gaetz said the bill responds to the Auditor General’s findings by separating scholarship funding from public-school funding, requiring student identification and verification, reducing scholarship organization fees, tightening payment and audit rules, and creating a stabilization fund for scholarship demand. Three amendments were adopted, including removal of a declining-enrollment provision from this bill and changes to enrollment documentation and withdrawal procedures. Senators debated the bill’s impact on accountability, public schools, and scholarship providers, but generally supported the reforms. The bill passed 38-0. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify SB 250 and CS/SB 318 to the House, welcomed Palm Beach County Day participants, and adjourned until the following Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AND KNOW WHAT MONITORS PORT OF ENTRY TO IDENTIFY WHEN SPECIES ARE LEGALLY

Transcript Highlights:

• Those of you that call a city committee across the port—importance.

Transcript Highlights:

• A port-a-john and a Connex look pretty good to me. So I get what the bill is trying to do.

Bills: SB243, SB1586, SB1891, SB1959, SB2159, SB2568

Keywords: migrant labor housing, migrant housing, farmworker housing, migrant agricultural worker, agricultural labor, farm labor contractor, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, civil penalty, housing code enforcement, sanitation, occupancy standards, retaliation, worker complaint, language access, Spanish-language outreach, H-2A visa, temporary agricultural workers, unlicensed housing, rural housing

Transcript Highlights:

• This is obviously a very port and particularly the pressing topic, obviously for condominium owners.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• labor, FX was also a dedicated public servant across For 18 years, he served on the Civil Service, Port

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WE HAVE SEEN PORTS OF CHILDREN ENGAGING IN GREATER READING FREQUENCY AT HOME AND CAREGIVERS SPENDING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please come to one of these neighborhoods, please come to one of these homes, and visit it and experience
• ><03:53:12.399><c> it</c><03:53:12.600><c> and</c><03:53:12.800><c> experience</c> these homes and visit
• it and experience these homes and visit it and experience it<03:53:13.359><c> for</c><03:53:13.520><
• Systems um which is like city of Water Systems um which is like city of Manchester<05:28:06.520><c> Port
• Smith or it could be uh Manchester Port Smith or it could be uh a<05:28:08.360><c> Condominium</c><05

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up several bills in executive session, beginning with HB 568 on subdivision regulations concerning water supply. Representative Donnelly moved ITL, arguing the bill would create costly studies, that towns already have jurisdiction over needed studies, and that the issue was not widespread. The committee voted ITL 9-7. HB 582, dealing with safety requirements for personal watercraft, was also moved ITL on the grounds that existing law already covers the issue and the bill was unnecessary after recent action on personal flotation devices. Representative Derby opposed the ITL, saying the bill was a common-sense safety measure and would restore a misdemeanor penalty, but the committee voted ITL 9-7. The committee then retained HB 595, relative to coastal resilience zones, after members said the bill was important but needed more work and time because of its complexity. Members noted it should be revisited later, and the motion to retain passed 16-0. HB 607, funding the Hampton Beach Area Commission and making appropriations, received an ought-to-pass recommendation 15-1, with support from members who described Hampton Beach as an important economic driver and one dissenting member saying the state should not bear the full cost. The committee also adopted Amendment 2025-3 on HB 624, establishing a local river management advisory committee grant program, by a 16-0 vote; the amendment shifted funding decisions to the Department of Environmental Services based on demonstrated need and a first-come, first-served process. The bill as amended then received an ought-to-pass recommendation 16-0 and was placed on consent. Later, the committee retained HB 629, funding the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams, after members said the dams need attention but the bill required more work because suggested amendments had just been received. That motion passed 16-0. HB 644, concerning drones in state parks, was ITL’d because the Department of Parks and Recreation is already working through rulemaking on UAS use in remote areas, and the committee voted 16-0 for ITL. HB 657, the short notice booking act access for New Hampshire residents to state parks, was also ITL’d at the request of the prime sponsor, passing 16-0. The committee then adjourned and announced a later hearing on HB 663, which would allow the Division of Historical Resources to use a portion of Moose plate funds for administering its grant program; testimony from the sponsor and the division supported the bill as clarifying existing authority, and no final vote on HB 663 was included in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• the</c><01:15:40.480><c> bill</c><01:15:40.560><c> a</c><01:15:40.719><c> favor</c><01:15:40.960><c> port
• </c> &gt;&gt; All in favor give the bill a favor port &gt;&gt; All in favor give the bill a favor port

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• two out<01:17:17.840><c> of</c><01:17:17.960><c> the</c><01:17:18.080><c> three</c><01:17:18.560><c> port
• </c><01:17:19.080><c> example</c><01:17:19.360><c> has</c><01:17:19.440><c> a</c> out of the three port
• for example has a out of the three port for example has a liquor<01:17:19.840><c> board</c><01:17:20.280

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up an amendment to a bill dealing with digital assets, zoning, utilities, and noise. Members discussed removing the “private key” language, clarifying that the bill would prohibit state or local governments from treating digital asset mining differently from other industrial uses, and narrowing several provisions based on feedback from the Municipal Association. There was also discussion about electricity use, rate schedules, and whether the bill would allow payment of electric bills in Bitcoin; members clarified that bills would still be paid in dollars and that discriminatory rates were not allowed. The amendment was approved on a straw vote, and the committee then voted 7-1 to adopt the amended bill. The committee then considered a separate bill related to a paint stewardship program. The sponsor explained that the amendment would remove references to a fee structure that had troubled him in public hearing, while still preserving the plan and oversight by the Department of Environmental Services. Members discussed whether the bill’s liability and disclosure language affected antitrust concerns, and a representative from the American Coatings Association testified that the program’s environmental management practices and liability provisions were intended to ensure responsible handling and cleanup. The committee ultimately voted 7-1 to adopt the amended bill. Later, the subcommittee moved to liquor-related business. It first voted unanimously, 7-0, to retain a cannabis-related item. It then discussed a tavern license bill that would create a 21-plus tavern category, with the Liquor Enforcement Division explaining that the restriction was tied to alcohol-only venues and the potential for late-night entertainment and nightclub-style operations. Members raised concerns about local control and public safety, and the discussion referenced existing cocktail lounge rules and the possibility of towns opting into such a license. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on that item is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of this information also ports over to the GL, so counties can keep a handle on their employee costs
• Since Burleigh County went live with their ITaxs, there's been 1.8 million individual visits to their
• They've already had 69,000 visits to their website.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm trained to support complex medical needs including, but not limited to, G-tube feeding and port changes
• In rural areas, sometimes it's an hour- or two-hour drive to get to a doctor's visit or a treatment facility
• clients' mental, emotional, and other well-being needs through support groups, peer groups, in-home visits

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm trained to support complex medical needs, including, but not limited to, G-tube feeding and port
• In rural areas, sometimes it's an hour- or two-hour drive to get to a doctor's visit or a treatment facility
• clients' mental, emotional, and other well-being needs through support groups, peer groups, in-home visits

Summary: The committee first heard the State Auditor’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick described rebuilding the office after staffing had fallen to a historic low, explaining that the office has grown from 92.5 to 119 FTE but still needs several years to reach full staffing, especially at the manager level. He said most of the budget is payroll, noted the office’s use of lapsing general revenue while staffing is rebuilt, and outlined requests including core operating funds, a small sports betting audit NDI, and a $290,000 increase to the CPA stipend to address recruitment and retention problems. Members also discussed the auditor’s authority to audit state agencies and subrecipients, the office’s role in performance audits, and the meaning of “E” appropriations and the auditor’s recent general revenue conditions report. The committee then moved to public testimony on House Bill 10, focusing on Department of Health and Senior Services and Department of Mental Health issues. One witness from the American Heart Association supported continued funding for cardiac emergency response planning in schools, citing AEDs, CPR training, and about 480 schools served. Another witness from the Alzheimer’s Association urged rejection of a proposed $1 million reduction to the Missouri caregiver program, arguing it supports families caring for people with dementia and helps avoid more expensive institutional care. Most of the testimony concerned proposed cuts to developmental disability services, especially day habilitation and self-directed supports (SDS). Providers, family members, and workers said the proposed reductions would force service cuts, reduce wages, and threaten community-based care that keeps people at home and out of more costly facilities. They argued the cuts would shift costs to emergency, residential, or institutional settings and asked the committee to preserve current funding levels. Several members asked questions about provider rates, the share of services delivered by private providers, and the cost difference between SDS and institutional care. The hearing ended with the chair apologizing for earlier tension, explaining the schedule, and recessing the committee to return later because of House floor obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• coastal states, and now you're finding states like Idaho claiming they're a coast because they have a port
• /c><00:14:50.880><c> a</c> they're a coast because they have a they're a coast because they have a port
• 52.880><c> long</c><00:14:53.199><c> story</c><00:14:53.440><c> short,</c><00:14:53.760><c> we're</c> port
• Um, so long story short, we're port.

Bills: SB2350, SB2349, SB2407, SB3320

Keywords: agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, agribusiness, Department of Agriculture, regulatory functions, employee benefits, restorative practices, sustainability, environmental stewardship, local food systems, Native Hawaiian, workforce development, agricultural development, Hawaii Island, property manager, state employment, SB3320, Hawaii, Agribusiness Development Corporation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SP 2350, which would transfer oversight of the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Development Division and the aquaculture and livestock support services branch to the Agribusiness Development Corporation. The Department of Agriculture and ADC both testified, with ADC opposing the bill as written while supporting the goal of strengthening agriculture. ADC said the transfer could create federal operational and coordination risks, jeopardize federal funding and program continuity, and was unnecessary because ADC is a business development entity, not a regulatory agency. The Hawaii Farmers Union also expressed concern that moving the programs could weaken the department’s ability to access federal resources, while the Hawaii Farm Bureau submitted written testimony and the Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association and H-Plan were noted as supporting the measure; the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council was noted as opposing it. Much of the discussion focused on aquaculture’s economic potential and the role of regulation, permitting, and funding. Committee members questioned why aquaculture had not grown faster, citing current gross revenues of about $66 million last year, a prior high of $82 million, and a possible long-term target of $500 million. Testimony identified permitting and feed costs as major barriers, along with market conditions and water quality issues affecting producers. ADC described ongoing efforts on feed development, permitting streamlining, coastal-state collaboration on seaweed and restorative aquaculture, and national advocacy for more parity in seafood import standards. Members also pressed the Department of Agriculture on its leadership and priorities, criticizing the lack of bills and resources dedicated to aquaculture and asking whether the department should have more authority to pursue land purchases and development opportunities. The department said it relies on divisions and industry feedback for bill ideas, noted it funds an annual aquaculture survey, and said it was pursuing congressional earmarks and other funding for aquaculture parks, research, and export/import issues. ADC said it would work with the department if the bill passed, but that its current statute does not give it regulatory authority and any such change would require a statutory amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• with some of the investment visit with some of the investment committee<01:36:42.719><c> and</c><01:
• You really should go and visit it. It is an amazing building. It is an amazing place.
• You really should go<03:01:01.200><c> and</c><03:01:01.359><c> visit</c><03:01:01.600><c> it.
• It is an amazing go and visit it.
• I appreciate the representative from county with 10 on his license plate talking about the coal port

Keywords: 916, all