Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:53.680> trucks impassable roads so that garbage trucks impassable roads so that garbage
• In the meantime, we also have completed our second year of collecting contributions through the state
• And then the work after the collection of funds is getting those funds either to designated projects
• And then the work after the collection of funds is getting those funds either to designated projects
• <00:43:25.680> of<00:43:25.839> funds<00:43:26.760> is collection of funds is collection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee met for an organizational hearing focused on introductions, committee jurisdiction, and a presentation from Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Commissioner Jennifer Ho. Members described their priorities for the session, including addressing HOA issues, senior housing affordability, manufactured housing exploitation, first-time homebuyer access, housing and health connections, homelessness protections, downtown conversions, and expanding starter homes, ADUs, and smaller multifamily housing. Chair Port emphasized bipartisan collaboration and the committee’s focus on removing barriers to housing production and expanding homeownership. A substantial portion of the meeting was devoted to remembering Senator Carrie Dietz, with Chair Port, Senator Draheim, and Commissioner Ho each describing her deep knowledge, behind-the-scenes leadership, and role in major housing accomplishments. They highlighted her work on fire sprinkler requirements in high-rise buildings, rental housing safety, public and nonprofit housing repairs, protections against predatory investors, manufactured and workforce housing, tenant protections, down payment assistance, local affordable housing aid, homelessness services, and the Bring It Home program, which helped pave the way for Minnesota’s rental voucher program. Advocates’ letters honoring her contributions were also made available to members. Committee staff then reviewed the panel’s jurisdiction, including housing and homelessness prevention, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency oversight and budget matters, housing bond allocation authority, housing infrastructure bonds, manufactured housing, rent control, transitional housing, and homeless prevention. Chair Port said the budget overview would be held for a later hearing. Commissioner Ho introduced her staff and outlined Minnesota Housing’s mission as a statewide mission-driven financial institution that finances affordable housing, homeownership, supportive housing, homelessness prevention, and manufactured housing through partnerships with lenders, developers, service providers, tribes, and local governments. No votes or formal legislative actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Collectively, we represent more than 50,000 homeowners throughout the state.
• <00:34:45.679> such percentage of fines collected such percentage of fines collected such
• being assessed and how we're collecting being assessed and how we're collecting funds<00:56:28.839
• point of not being able to have garbage point of not being able to have garbage picked<00:58:53.079
• The association brings in and collects payments, and we pay common expenses. That's it.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These materials include items from the State Library's collection as well as materials... ...in the northeast
• These materials include items from the State Library's collection, as well as materials borrowed from
• like there's a certain member in the House who has a lot of business contracts, may or may not own a garbage
• service, and a lot of his garbage contracts are with city and political subs.

Bills: HB1162

Keywords: Lake Agassiz, water authority, board of directors, state highways, water management, 908, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1162, which would add the West Fargo mayor as a voting member of the Lake Agassiz Water Authority board. The sponsor and Fargo’s mayor argued West Fargo has grown into a major regional water stakeholder and should have a formal vote, while members questioned the board structure and why the change was not framed more specifically. The bill was supported in testimony, closed without opposition, and received a 6-0 do pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 1259 on annual legislative sessions and session structure. Members adopted an amendment that left the structure and logistics of sessions to legislative management rather than prescribing details in statute, after discussion about flexibility, committee workload, annual versus biennial sessions, and concerns about preserving debate and committee process. The amended bill received a 4-2 do pass recommendation, with some members voting no because they preferred a different committee recommendation or had concerns about the broader change. House Bill 1254, which would allow any North Dakota resident to obtain a State Library card, drew supportive testimony from the bill sponsor and State Library staff. They said the change would align law with current practice and expand access to books, e-materials, and other resources statewide, including for military families and out-of-state state employees. The committee closed the hearing and approved the bill 6-0. The committee also considered House Bill 1469, which narrows financial disclosure requirements so only business or trust interests directly related to the office sought or held must be disclosed. After brief discussion that the change would reduce unnecessary disclosure burdens, the committee adopted the amendment and then gave the bill a 6-0 do pass recommendation. House Bill 1368, dealing with administrative rules and the standard for challenging them, was opposed by committee counsel as too broad and legally problematic; the committee rejected it on a 4-2 do not pass vote. Finally, House Bill 1219, which would reduce the required perpetual care fund set-aside for certain cemeteries from 20% to 10%, received supportive testimony from the sponsor, cemetery representatives, and local users, but also concern about long-term fund health. The committee ultimately recommended do pass on a 5-1 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• is a waste management issue, and obviously waste management companies and everybody who deals with garbage
• We received a grant to do some data collection on the restaurant delivery.
• We received a grant to do some data collection on the restaurant delivery.
• We received a grant to do some data collection on the restaurant delivery.
• It's not something we message out regularly, so I can't speak to you know collectively as a whole what

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first discussed scheduling, noting that Town Meeting Day would cancel the next Tuesday meeting, that they would meet Wednesday instead, and that remaining bills would be handled through subcommittees and a likely final executive session on the 19th to meet the deadline for committee action on the 20th. The committee then took up several bills, with repeated roll calls and votes, often placing measures on the consent calendar after committee approval. House Bill 185 on ambulance reimbursement rates was described as a perennial issue and was voted inexpedient to legislate, with members noting concerns that an any-willing-provider approach would make premium impacts hard to evaluate. House Bill 186 on cannabis legalization was retained for further work, with members saying the bill addressed stopping marijuana arrests but that the sales and implementation details still needed more development. House Bill 241 on treatment alternatives to opioids was also retained because the sponsor could not attend and the committee wanted more time to continue work. The committee then considered House Bill 302 on state treasury investments in digital assets and precious metals. The amendment narrowed the proposal, removing more complicated provisions like stable tokens and staking, lowering the authorized allocation from 10% to 5%, and limiting eligible digital assets to those with very high market capitalization; members discussed volatility, the treasurer’s discretion, and oversight through bond-rating concerns. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed, and the bill was placed on the consent calendar. Other measures moved quickly: House Bill 451 on a paint product stewardship program was amended to remove direct funding and framed as manufacturer-run enabling legislation, then passed and was placed on consent; House Bill 499 made technical corrections to insurance laws and passed unanimously; House Bill 538 on relocating Liquor Commission positions passed unanimously; House Bill 552 on children covered under the state retirement insurance plan was cleaned up to remove a student requirement and passed unanimously; and a blockchain/digital currencies bill was amended to address noise and local regulation concerns for data mining operations, with supporters emphasizing energy-use issues, municipal authority, and a separate commission studying regulation. That bill also passed and was sent to consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our family collectively grappled with how to help that family member get the care that was needed, and
• They weaken workers' collective bargaining rights while also leaving local governments and residents
• Our most valued asset is the trust of the communities we serve, and when trash is not collected, our
• And when trash is not collected, our reputation suffers.
• collection when local jurisdictions are capable of negotiating that themselves?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard SB 911, which would require notification to fire agencies when a home in a high wildfire severity zone is sold with an agreement to complete defensible space work after closing. The author and supporters, including fire chiefs, insurers, and UC experts, said the bill would improve wildfire resilience and help verify compliance. The California Assessors Association opposed the bill unless amended, arguing the preliminary change of ownership report is the wrong document for this purpose and suggesting a separate recorded acknowledgment instead. Members generally supported the bill but raised questions about the 12-month compliance period and the form used; the bill was held for later action. Members then took up SB 1016, which would create a pathway for a court to order a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, cities, and district attorneys, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people without treatment and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS evaluation processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued the bill would make Care Court more coercive, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and risk unnecessary involuntary detention. After extensive debate over due process, family input, and the role of judges versus clinicians, the committee voted to pass the bill to the Health Committee, with several members supporting it and others expressing serious concerns. The committee also heard SB 1112, which would create a faster court process for vehicle owners to recover cars held by “bandit towing” operators by posting a bond and seeking a release certificate while the tow dispute is litigated. The author and Enterprise Mobility said the bill targets rogue towers that charge excessive fees and leaves consumers stuck without their vehicles for weeks or months. The California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude repair shops regulated by the Bureau of Automotive Repair. The bill was moved forward as amended to Appropriations and placed on call. Finally, the committee heard SB 1119, a child-safety bill regulating AI chatbots. The author described the bill as a response to harms from chatbot companionship and cited the death of Adam Raine, whose mother gave emotional testimony about prolonged interactions with ChatGPT that she said encouraged suicide. Supporters said the bill would require risk assessments, parental controls, crisis-response measures, and oversight. Tech and business groups opposed unless amended, saying the bill overlaps with SB 243, uses vague standards, and is too prescriptive; civil justice advocates also raised concerns about the private right of action and litigation exposure. Members expressed sympathy and support for the goal but urged tighter definitions and continued negotiations; the bill was passed to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee and held on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators, property tax collections statewide have almost doubled since the pre-COVID years, rising from
• In 2020 through 2024, the CPI increased by 3.3% and property tax collections increased by 13.9%.
• It's being sold as a property tax cut, but it's really a tax shift that will collect the revenue from
• They simply cannot expand collections beyond what the tax-paying public cannot expand collections beyond
• An increase in gas prices, utility rates are going up, garbage rates, electricity rates are going up,

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Subdivision two requires that revenue collected will be to finance the East Metro Public Safety Training
• represent over 600,000 who collectively represent over 600,000 residents. residents. residents.
• It doesn't sufficiently accommodate our growing circulation collection, nor the increasing demand for
• <00:54:05.040> comes<00:54:05.440> in end up putting in the garbage comes in end up
• putting in the garbage comes in with<00:54:05.760> donations.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• business use in areas zoned for residential use, provided that such business does not violate noise, garbage
• violate that such business does not violate noise<00:25:10.600> pollution<00:25:10.960> garbage
• <00:25:11.279> or<00:25:11.480> light noise pollution garbage or light noise pollution
• garbage or light ordinances<00:25:13.159> uh<00:25:13.360> whether<00:25:13.640> a<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• care of our kids as the collective hour. care of our kids as the collective hour.
• <01:01:54.640> heard I believe we have collectively heard I believe we have collectively heard
• We reach out individually, collectively, We reach out individually, collectively, and<01:23:34.719>
• then the process is garbage. then the process is garbage.
• ,<02:18:46.880> the And when the process is garbage, the And when the process is garbage,

Keywords: Several minutes after the convene vote and before the introduction failed to properly steam. This version was pulled from a local back up., 958, all

Summary: The House convened with 97 members present, declared a quorum, approved excusing absent members, and suspended the rules to allow co-sponsorships and vote modifications. The journal for February 25, 2026 was approved. The clerk also reported that the Senate had passed Senate Bills 98 and 122 and requested concurrence. The House then received second-reading reports on a range of bills, including measures on prison educational programs, respiratory care, dietitians, wildlife depredation, temporary structures, military families, civil rights, local boards of education, light pollution, controlled-substance prescribing licenses, youth health services, class sizes for exceptional children, the athletic trainer compact, limited commercial driver’s licenses, and Senate Bill 145 relating to the Department of Agriculture and Alcohol Beverage Control. Committee reports moved several bills forward, including the main budget bills House Bill 500 and House Bill 504, along with measures on workforce investment, data centers, domestic violence, guardians ad litem, domestic relations, health delivery and “food is medicine” initiatives, state personnel, open records, and fish and wildlife resources. House Bill 500 and House Bill 504 were taken from the Rules Committee and placed on the orders of the day. House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill, was then taken up for third reading and explanation. Members presented extensive floor explanations of House Bill 500 and House Committee Substitute 1, describing it as a “good first draft” of the executive budget. Supporters said the proposal emphasizes restrained spending growth, base reductions with exemptions for key areas, employee salary increments, and deposits to the Budget Reserve Trust Fund for future one-time investments. They highlighted funding for K-12 education, postsecondary aid and workforce training, Medicaid and behavioral health, public health infrastructure, pensions, veterans, public safety, economic development, tourism, and state technology and facility maintenance. The budget substitute was adopted by voice vote, and the discussion continued with detailed descriptions of the bill’s provisions; no final passage vote was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's housing shortage is a collective statewide problem that necessitates a collective statewide
• :21.240> collective<00:35:21.960> Statewide necessitates a collective Statewide necessitates
• There shouldn't be a cap on enforcement and collection fees.
• In the other case, they had argued about garbage service as an individual homeowner.
• So they didn't reach out to my friend about her garbage concerns.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, personally, I would love for my garbage prices to go down.
• I would love for a solid waste management board to come figure out how my cost for recycling and garbage
• /c><00:55:25.640> my Um personally, I would love for my Um personally, I would love for my garbage
• I live on a garbage prices to go down.
• <00:55:55.160> could my cost for recycling and garbage could my cost for recycling and garbage

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• question is, along those same lines, if we're doing this, it's certainly partially our role to not pass garbage
• question is, along those same lines, if we're doing this, it's certainly partially our role to not pass garbage
• certainly partially our role to not it's certainly partially our role to not pass<00:21:11.120> garbage
• not<00:21:12.640> pass<00:21:12.840> something<00:21:13.200> we pass garbage
• and not pass something we pass garbage and not pass something we know<00:21:13.520> is<00:21:

Keywords: Judiciary, Division A (Part 2) - Room 409, 3 March, 2026; 4:15 P.M., 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1752, which had already passed Judiciary A, gone to Appropriations, and returned with an amendment. The chair explained that the amendment froze a rate increase that had been included by LBR and instead set the amount at $150,100 on a two-year schedule for further review. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill on a title-sufficient-do-pass motion. The committee then considered House Bill 1603, described as a cleanup measure related to last year’s squatters law. Counsel explained that it removed language stating that a squatter who commits trespass or remains on another person’s property shall not accrue property rights based on that conduct. After a brief question about what the bill removed, the committee passed it on a title-sufficient-do-pass motion. The main discussion centered on House Bill 1224, a strike-all for the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act, which the chair described as a revised version of the Walker Montgomery law. The chair said the original House bill raised serious constitutional concerns, especially around age verification, First Amendment issues, and overbreadth, and noted Justice Kavanaugh’s comments in the Walker Montgomery litigation suggesting the prior law was likely unconstitutional. He said the strike-all would create a task force, include a reverse repealer, and use language modeled on laws in Florida and Virginia, with the goal of producing a bill that could withstand legal challenge. Several senators questioned whether the committee should move forward with a bill that might still be vulnerable, while others emphasized the need to protect children online and referenced Mr. Montgomery’s advocacy and the book Anxious Generation. The chair said industry representatives from Google, Facebook, TikTok, and NetChoice had expressed willingness to discuss a workable compromise, and he indicated the committee could still go to conference and potentially return to the House version if needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is ultimately collecting thing that is produced either naturally or by some forest method of
• don't have to clean it up as much to get the pipeline quality spec and they're putting it in their of garbage
• state of where we can make sure that we're meeting any of the reliability, resiliency issues, hotels, garbage

Transcript Highlights:

• Our family collectively grappled with how to help the family member get the care that was needed, and
• They weaken workers' collective bargaining rights while also leaving local governments and residents
• Our most valued asset is the trust of the communities we serve, and when trash is not collected, our
• My question is, why would the state step in on a labor dispute for a local decision-making on garbage
• collection when local jurisdictions are capable of negotiating that themselves?

Summary: The committee heard several bills. SB 911, by Senator Becker, would require notification and verification of defensible-space compliance when homes in high wildfire severity zones are transferred, using the preliminary change of ownership report; supporters said it would improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while county assessors opposed the use of the PCOR and urged a different recorded document. Members generally supported the bill but raised concerns about the 12-month compliance window and the need to keep working with assessors; the bill was held pending a quorum and later placed on call. SB 1016, by Senator Blakespear, would create a pathway for a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate or otherwise needs more intensive care. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, and local officials, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people untreated and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued it would expand involuntary detention, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and undermine Care Court’s voluntary nature. The bill passed the committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call. SB 1112, by Senator Archuleta, would create a faster court process for victims of illegal or excessive “bandit towing” to recover their vehicles by posting a bond and obtaining a release certificate. Support came from Enterprise Mobility and the author, who said the bill targets bad actors and helps equalize leverage for vehicle owners; the California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude auto repair shops. The committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. SB 1119, by Senator Padilla, would impose child-safety requirements on AI chatbots, including risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, limits on time and data use, reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The bill was driven by testimony from the mother of a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged chatbot interactions; industry and business groups opposed or sought amendments, citing overlap with recent law, vague standards, and prescriptive design mandates. Members expressed strong support for the bill’s goals while urging tighter definitions, and the bill was moved on a roll call vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's being sold as a property tax cut, but it's really a tax shift that will collect the revenue from
• Additionally, in Miami-Dade County, we face billions of dollars in expenses for the garbage incinerator
• Then... cannot expand collections beyond what the tax-paying public can reasonably support.
• The single line item represents 25% of the total property tax collections statewide, and phasing it out
• Garbage rates, electricity rates are going up, insurance rates are going up, and now we're giving the

Summary: The Senate took up Committee Substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 2F, a proposed constitutional amendment on property tax reform. The measure would increase the homestead exemption in stages, lower the assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, and limit county and municipal ad valorem tax revenues to specified uses such as public safety, education, infrastructure, natural resources, debt service, employee benefits, and certain administrative costs. Supporters, led by Senator Avila, argued the proposal would provide meaningful property tax relief and push local governments to rein in spending, while opponents warned it would shift costs to fees, reduce local flexibility, and threaten funding for core services. Several amendments were offered and rejected. Senator Sharief proposed an income-based circuit breaker for property tax relief; Senator Smith offered a sunset clause; and Senator Berman proposed revising the ballot statement to better match the amended proposal and remove outdated references. Each amendment failed on recorded votes. During questioning and debate, senators pressed Avila on the ballot language, the effect on local services, whether the legislature could later restrict local spending by statute, and whether renters would benefit. Avila said the ballot language was not his and repeatedly stated he was presenting the governor’s proposal, while also saying local governments would need to prioritize budgets and that future legislatures could address implementation details. After the amendment votes, the joint resolution was read a third time and moved into final debate. Supporters said the proposal would give homeowners relief and force fiscal discipline at the local level. Opponents, including Senators Nathan, Bracey Davis, Smith, Polsky, and Errington, argued the measure was rushed, lacked a completed fiscal analysis or replacement revenue, and could harm police, fire, libraries, parks, housing, and other local services. They also criticized the ballot summary as misleading, especially regarding the staged homestead exemption increase. The transcript ends during debate, before any final vote on the joint resolution itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's a loophole that exists for... ...medium-format batteries and add specific collection-site
• Are they therefore responsible for collecting? How does this work? Yeah.
• If they so choose, they are not mandated in this bill to collect them back.
• For best collection. And we see this work successfully all over, all over.
• And we see this work successfully all over. for best collection.

Summary: The committee heard a series of Senate bills on environmental, climate, recycling, wildfire, outdoor access, and clean transportation policy. SB 958 would clarify CEQA treatment of impacts tied solely to increased building height, and SB 1230 would increase penalties and create CalRecycle support tools for repeat commercial illegal dumping. SB 1341 would revise how processing fees are calculated for bag-in-a-box wine under California’s recycling program. All three measures received due-pass recommendations to Appropriations, with roll calls showing majority support and the bills left open for absent members. Members then took up SB 1300, which would create a more permanent legislative role in California’s international climate cooperation and establish a climate secretariat at UC; SB 1370, which would codify and streamline wildfire fuel-reduction permitting with added safeguards, geographic and size limits, and pesticide-related amendments; and SB 1260/1268, which would codify the Outdoors for All initiative and the Deputy Secretary for Access position at the Natural Resources Agency. Each drew support from environmental, utility, business, and local-government witnesses, while SB 1370 also drew opposition from environmental and advocacy groups concerned about reduced CEQA review and herbicide use. The committee discussed amendments at length, especially on SB 1370, and all three measures advanced with due-pass recommendations. The committee also heard SB 1213, the Clean Truck Transparency Act, requiring baseline pricing disclosure for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks tied to state incentives and directing agencies to explore alternative financing. Support came from clean-air, business, and environmental groups, and the trucking/manufacturing opposition moved to neutral after amendments; the bill advanced on a due-pass vote. Finally, SB 1075, the Clean Air Promise, sought to strengthen AB 617 implementation and clarify community emission reduction planning, but it generated substantial opposition from air districts, business groups, and others over enforceability, funding, and the distinction between formal SERPs and community L-SERPs. The author described additional pending amendments to narrow L-SERP provisions, and the bill also received a due-pass recommendation to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what it does is it streamlines and reorganizes reporting requirements so that certain data collection
• <00:05:11.800> uh<00:05:11.919> in<00:05:12.040> the that certain data collection
• uh in the that certain data collection uh in the annual<00:05:12.440> report<00:05:13.240>
• Um, property taxes, water, sewer, garbage.
• property taxes, water, sewer, garbage. property taxes, water, sewer, garbage.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , So, in that second year of collections, So, in that second year of collections, there<00:30:27.919
• And the problem is you got to keep him out of the garbage can.
• got to keep him out of the garbage can. got to keep him out of the garbage can.
• he goes to look is at the garbage can. he goes to look is at the garbage can.
• We collect electrical licensing fees and, uh, those related inspection fees.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a collective, a multidisciplinary team made up of quite a few Health and Wellness representatives
• This is a collective of student, staff, and faculty who have prioritized mental health and holistic well-being
• Let's talk about a plan for who takes out the garbage and how we talk to each other when that garbage
• research settings, for example, to create disease models for conditions such as diabetes from patient-collected
• I would say that's another one of the frontiers in AI is the K-16 system and looking at it collectively

Summary: The committee spent much of the meeting hearing presentations on student mental health supports at Central Washington University, Washington State University, the University of Washington, and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. CWU described high levels of student distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and basic-needs insecurity, along with a campus-wide holistic well-being model that includes behavioral intervention teams, emergency aid, peer outreach, community partnerships, and a collegiate recovery community. WSU emphasized loneliness, common presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship distress, and the role of housing and residence life, resident advisors, living-learning communities, and coordinated crisis response in identifying and supporting students. UW highlighted prevention and support programs through LiveWell, including alcohol and other drug consultations, confidential advocacy, suicide intervention, student needs navigation, peer health educators, and peer wellness coaches. The community and technical college system reported persistent access barriers, especially for students ages 18 to 24 and those facing housing or food insecurity, and said the legislature-funded mental health pilot at four colleges expanded counseling access, telehealth, and referral pathways, while broader system efforts focus on awareness, telehealth, basic-needs supports, and workforce training in behavioral health fields. Members asked each panel how they gather student feedback, and the institutions said they use surveys, evaluations, and ongoing outreach to students in services. Questions also focused on substance-use and recovery resources, Greek life outreach, and whether colleges have enough licensed mental health staff versus academic advisors; the community college board said not all colleges have licensed mental health providers on staff, and some rely on community contracts or telehealth. The committee also discussed whether counseling services are increasing because of post-pandemic effects or because students are more willing to seek help, with presenters saying both factors likely play a role. The committee then shifted to artificial intelligence in higher education. Washington State University, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and the community and technical college system described campus AI task forces, governance structures, and efforts to set policies for students, faculty, and staff. Presenters said institutions are requiring course-level AI use statements, promoting ethical and transparent use, expanding access to approved tools such as Microsoft Copilot, and using AI for teaching, research, advising, and administrative support while guarding privacy, equity, and academic integrity. Members raised concerns about deepfakes, bias, student monitoring, and whether AI should be used to screen applications or evaluate student work; presenters said human review remains essential and that some institutions prohibit AI use in hiring or admissions screening. The final presentation, from OSPI, described the statewide rollout of the School Links high school and beyond plan platform under 2023 legislation, saying it will standardize career and college planning across K-12, provide better data and student guidance, and connect students to postsecondary pathways and employers; OSPI said the rollout is underway but current funding only extends through June 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Self-funded by our taxes that we collect on our pari-mutuel handle?
• So we could; we'd have to figure something out to collect that data.
• We could have it as a goal that we would collect the information.
• So it's a situation where it's garbage in, garbage out.
• So it's a situation where it's garbage in, garbage out.

Keywords: 908, all