Transcript Highlights:

• And we'll start with House Bill 1823, and Chris...
• Start with House Bill 1823, and Christine Thomas, will you brief the bill, please?
• We are signed in pro on House Bill 2092, I think. We are signed in pro on House Bill 2092.
• That concludes our public hearing on House Bill 2092, and we will move to House Bill 2111, and David
• House Bill 2111 relates to allowing the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project House Bill 2111 relates

Bills: HB1823 , HB2092 , HB2111 , HB2114

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transportation improvement board, TIB, transportation improvement account, motor vehicle fund, arterial streets, local match, private match, grant funding, transportation grants, county roads, city streets, transportation benefit district, urban county, small city program, active transportation, pedestrian, bicycle, bike routes, transit, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that the House Committee substitute for House Bill 3239 be voted do pass.
• By your vote of 11-7, you have voted House Committee substitute for House Bill 3239 do pass.
• I now move that House Bill 2913 and its companion House Bill 3228 be voted do pass.
• I now move that the House Committee substitute for House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 be voted do pass
• By your vote of 19-0, you have voted House Committee substitute for House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Summary: The committee met in executive session first and took up House Bill 3239, adopting a Hurlbert amendment that capped the program at $4 million and then adopting the House Committee Substitute. The substitute bill passed 11-7. The committee then combined House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 into one substitute; members discussed that it would not cover student teachers and was intended to start with the current scope and broaden later. The combined substitute passed unanimously, 19-0. In open session, the committee heard House Bill 2195, which would create a Missouri Integrated Safe Driving Program to let DESE vet and distribute safe-driving lesson materials for voluntary use in existing courses starting in 2027-2028. Sponsor Representative Reedy said the bill is intended to improve teen driver safety without a fiscal note. Supporters included AAA Missouri, traffic-safety and motorcycle groups, MoDOT, and the Missouri Insurance Coalition, who cited teen crash and fatality data, the benefits of formal driver education, and the need to address distracted driving, traffic stops, and motorcycle awareness. No one testified in opposition. The committee also heard House Bill 2502, which would clarify how records from closed nonpublic schools and charter schools are transferred and stored so students can later obtain transcripts and graduation records. The sponsor said the bill responds to missing records from closed schools and would direct records to the appropriate public district; a technical correction was noted to avoid including homeschool records. Missouri NEA supported the bill and suggested charter-school performance contracts include compliance expectations. The committee then heard House Bill 2396, which would allow retired teachers to return to PSRS-covered teaching jobs without a time limit, similar to existing critical-shortage provisions. The sponsor argued it would help districts, especially smaller ones, and could benefit teachers and students without harming the retirement system. PSRS/PEERS testified that the bill could raise contribution rates by an estimated 1.44% to 2.45% and raised concerns about behavior changes and IRS qualification issues; Missouri NEA and the Missouri State Teachers Association opposed the bill, saying it would not solve recruitment and retention problems and could damage the retirement system. The Missouri Retired Teachers Association testified for informational purposes, warning that the bill could prompt many eligible teachers to retire sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we'll start with House Bill 1823, and Chris...
• Start with House Bill 1823, and Christine Thomas, will you brief the bill, please?
• Solutionary Rail supports House Bill 2092.
• We are signed in pro on House Bill 2092, I think. We are signed in pro on House Bill 2092.
• That concludes our public hearing on House Bill 2092, and we will move to House Bill 2111.

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard briefings and public testimony on four bills. HB 1823, a Transportation Improvement Board cleanup bill, would remove obsolete references, update terms, and repeal outdated sections; a proposed substitute would restore remaining bond authority that the original bill would have inadvertently removed. The sponsor and TIB supported the technical corrections, describing the bill as good-government cleanup, and there were no questions or opposition. HB 2092 would create a Washington State Amtrak Cascades Passenger Rail Advisory Committee to provide regular user feedback to WSDOT; the bill was presented with a fiscal note of about $82,000 this biennium and $156,000 ongoing for staffing. The prime sponsor and multiple advocates supported the concept, while committee members and witnesses raised possible amendments to broaden membership, include disability representation, and possibly add rail industry and statewide passenger rail interests. HB 2111 would allow the Interstate 5 bridge replacement project toll facility bond retirement account to retain its share of interest earnings instead of sending them to the general fund. The sponsor, the Treasurer’s Office, and a business community witness said the change would keep dedicated toll-related revenue with the project and avoid accounting and tax concerns; the bill was described as a technical fix with fiscal impact expected to benefit the project account. HB 2114 would require the Department of Licensing to waive replacement plate fees for defective plates within two years of issuance and allow waivers between two and five years in some cases. The sponsor said the bill responds to widespread plate delamination, especially in eastern Washington, and county auditors and subagents testified in support as a customer-service measure, though they noted the fiscal note seemed high relative to the small number of replacements estimated and asked for clearer definitions and implementation guidance. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chair closed public hearings on HB 1823, HB 2092, and HB 2111 after testimony, and temporarily closed HB 2114 to allow a later opportunity for a witness who had audio issues to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I move that House Bill 2009 be returned with a due pass recommendation.
• Members, the motion before you is House Bill 2009. Do we have a speaker? Yeah, I will.
• Chairman, I move that House Bill 2022 be returned with a due pass recommendation. Mr.
• Chairman, I move that House Bill 2022 be returned with a due pass recommendation.
• Chairman, I move that House Bill 2022 as amended be returned with a due pass recommendation.

Committee: House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee convened with roll call, member and staff introductions, and a review of amendment deadlines and decorum rules. Members also suspended the committee rule on late-distributed amendments to allow consideration of a Kolodin amendment. The chair then moved to the agenda bills, beginning with HCM 2001, a memorial urging Congress and the President to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization and asking Arizona agencies to monitor related organizations. Testimony on HCM 2001 was sharply divided, with supporters arguing the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR are linked to terrorism and Sharia law, and opponents calling the memorial discriminatory, unsupported by evidence, and an attack on Muslim civil rights organizations and free speech. The committee voted 4-3 to pass HCM 2001 out of committee. The committee then heard HCM 2002, which urges a federal review of CAIR for possible foreign terrorist organization designation and supports related congressional action. Testimony again split along similar lines: opponents, including CAIR representatives, a veteran, and community members, said the measure was scapegoating, lacked legal basis, and would stigmatize Muslim communities; supporters cited the Holy Land Foundation case, FBI concerns, and alleged ties between CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas. After debate, the committee voted 4-3 to pass HCM 2002 out of committee. Following a brief recess, the committee took up HB 2009, which would prohibit committees primarily organized to influence constitutional amendments from accepting foreign national contributions and require disclosure of out-of-state funding. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve transparency and keep constitutional initiatives focused on Arizona voters; members discussed whether the measure should apply to all ballot initiatives and how donor verification would work. HB 2009 was also approved 4-3. The committee then began HCR 2001, a proposed constitutional amendment on election procedures, including citizenship requirements for voting, limits on foreign contributions to candidate and ballot measure campaigns, government-issued ID requirements, and changes to early voting and mail ballot rules. The committee adopted a late amendment after procedural discussion, and the sponsor described the resolution as a broad election-security reform modeled on Florida. Members raised concerns that the proposal could reduce access, increase lines, and create confusion for mail voters, while the sponsor argued it would improve security and voter confidence. The transcript cuts off during this bill’s discussion, before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1209 provides for the withdrawal of surface water.
• Representative Coates, House Bill 890, and Representative Adams, House Bill 1202, will be voluntarily
• I'd move favorable on House Bill 599 by Representative Schamerhorn.
• So that would be the one marked substitute bill for House Bill 1206, correct? In our folders.
• House Bill 1171 will be reported favorable. Representative McCormick, House Bill 508. Thank you.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate the opportunity to lay out House Bill 1506.
• We are opposed to House Bill 259.
• As you know, House Bill 259.
• I am opposed to House Bill 259.
• The bill is left pending. The chair lays out House Bill 4201.

Bills: HB259 , HB 1128 , HB1337 , HB1506 , HB1794 , HB2215 , HB2470 , HB2771 , HB2882 , HB2993 , HB3053 , HB3428 , HB3669 , HB3789 , HB3924 , HB4201 , HB4675 , HB259

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical expenses, access to care, affordability, legislation, firearms, penal code, regulation, short-barrel firearms, ammunition, gun control, public safety, Texas law, short-barrel, law enforcement, election judges, concealed handgun, polling places

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you want me to go the House first? Call the House, call the House vote.
• So there's two amendments here and two bills being affected. Go ahead, sir. Any questions?
• So there's two amendments here and two bills being affected. Go ahead, sir. Any questions?
• So the amount of the EFA scholarship is 90% of what foundation funding is.
• Within the bill. Any questions? Seeing none, do I have a motion? I have a motion.

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee first considered the Lieutenant Governor’s Office budget and personnel request to move that office onto the state pay plan and increase salaries for its positions. Office representatives said the request was intended to make pay competitive with other constitutional offices and state agencies, that OPM had approved the grades, and that the office did not plan to max out any positions. Members questioned the size of the increase and the office’s workload. A motion to adopt the proposal failed on a tie vote, and the committee then voted to expunge the vote before moving on. The committee then approved a series of Governor’s letters and related personnel transfers, including cuts for Arkansas Educational Television Network, transfers within the Department of Health and several DHS divisions, and a DFA shared services reorganization. The committee also approved moving child nutrition and related nutrition programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture, with department officials explaining that the programs fit better under Agriculture because the grants come from USDA and the transfer would include the positions and funding tied to the programs. Members raised questions about how the appropriations and positions were split between state and federal funding, and about the broader implications of the transfer, but the committee ultimately approved both the Education and Agriculture sides of the move. The meeting also included extended discussion of the Educational Freedom Account program. Members questioned the $309 million appropriation, whether it matched current participation, and whether future demand could require additional funding. Department officials said the amount covered current participation and that the governor had set aside an additional $70 million in case applications increased, but that any amount beyond the appropriation would require returning to the committee. Some members argued the program’s growth could threaten funding for public schools and adequacy, while others noted that the program is governed by rules under the LEARNS Act. The committee also approved a technical title change at East Arkansas Community College from assistant to the president to assistant to the chancellor.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill.
• Can the Edna Committee refer to the subcommittee on housing bills?
• it might not be Senate bill; it might be House Bill, sorry, now I'm getting my numbers mixed up too—but
• </c><01:04:07.440><c> Bill</c><01:04:07.680><c> sorry</c> it might not be sun for House Bill sorry it
• might not be sun for House Bill sorry now<01:04:08.400><c> I'm</c><01:04:08.520><c> getting</c><01:04

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• We've now got that up to about 90%.
• He went to their house, and he found the kill list, the rape list, and no doubt that he saved that...
• You know, these bills, these Are good too, but I think preventative is really important.
• You know, a $1,000 bill will buy a shield that is not lightweight, but it is rifle-rated.
• We go back, I guess, to the early '90s.

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Oklahoma school safety from Commissioner Tipton, OSSI director Mike Fike, OACTIC director Alan Young, OSBI lieutenant Isiles Keene, and Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. The main focus was a statewide school-safety framework built around response, prevention, and recovery. Witnesses described training law enforcement in the LASER active-shooter response model, adding A-TURK training for coordinated law enforcement/fire/EMS response, expanding run-hide-fight and Stop the Bleed instruction for educators and staff, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments, and using the Rave panic-button system and the ProtectOK tip app to speed reporting and dispatch. They also emphasized behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams as a prevention tool to identify and support at-risk students before violence occurs. Members asked about administrator and teacher training, school counselor involvement, how apps are deployed on personal versus school devices, and whether schools are actually using the programs. Witnesses said administrators, counselors, and SROs should be part of BTAM, that training is most effective when it is realistic and repeated, and that Rave is geofenced and typically invited onto devices by schools. Several members stressed that school leaders must buy in for safety plans to work, and one member raised concerns about traumatic training and the need for mental-health support as part of prevention. Witnesses said mental-health referral and monitoring are part of BTAM, but the school and local partners must manage the process. OSBI’s lieutenant added broader context, comparing school safety to fire safety and noting that Oklahoma still lacks some statutory requirements for intruder drills and stronger penalties for school threats. He also discussed possible future tools such as surveillance analytics, gunshot detection, ballistic-rated doors and walls, and better access controls, while warning that technology should supplement, not replace, basic safety systems and training. Sheriff Walton closed by describing rural response challenges and his foundation’s effort to place ballistic shields in schools and police cars, arguing that human resources and rapid communication remain the biggest gaps. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Move the bill. HB 2131. I move House Bill 2131 with a new application. No further discussion.
• Move the bill. I move House Bill 2223 with a due pass recommendation. Call the roll.
• Move the bill. I move House Bill 2411 with a due pass recommendation. Call the roll.
• Move the bill. I move House Bill 2043 with a due pass recommendation. Call the roll.
• Move the bill. I move House Bill 2666 with a due pass recommendation. Call the roll.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee heard and advanced several House bills dealing with criminal law, victims’ rights, and court fees. HB 2131 would remove the financial-gain requirement from weapons and explosives trafficking and make trafficking three or more weapons or explosives in one offense ineligible for probation, pardon, commutation, or early release until the sentence is served; it passed 6-1. HB 2132 lowered the fentanyl trafficking threshold from 200 grams to 100 grams and adjusted related sentencing language; supporters said it would help law enforcement and prosecutors, while opponents argued it would sweep in heavy users and lacked data on current enforcement; it passed 4-3. HB 2223 requires sex offenders seeking a name change to notify prosecutors and victims, and to register under the new name if granted; it passed 6-1. The committee also passed HB 2411, which creates the crime of coerced abortion for secretly or forcibly administering an abortion-inducing drug with intent to cause an abortion, as a class 2 felony. Supporters described cases of covert or forced abortion drug use and said existing laws do not clearly cover situations where the drug is given but no death occurs; opponents argued current assault, manslaughter, homicide, and food-contamination statutes already address the conduct and that the bill is unnecessary. HB 2043, which adds unborn children to the felony-murder statute, also passed 4-3 after testimony from prosecutors and advocates on both sides; supporters called it a cleanup measure, while opponents warned it advances fetal personhood and could have broader reproductive-health consequences. HB 2046, requiring victims to be notified of pre-hearings in probation review proceedings for certain sex offenders, passed unanimously after emotional testimony from a victim’s family and county prosecutors. The committee then approved HB 2666, which increases penalties for sexual extortion involving 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds when the offender is an adult and knew or should have known the victim’s age. Finally, HB 2265, which eliminates court-imposed fees and assessments on criminal defendants for public defense, jury trials, and appeals, passed 7-0 despite county opposition over lost revenue and shifting costs to taxpayers. The last bill, HB 2133, would require commercial websites hosting sexual material to verify the age and consent of depicted persons, retain records, and treat synthetic depictions like AI-generated images similarly to existing revenge-porn laws; it drew support from adult-industry representatives on some implementation issues but also significant constitutional and privacy concerns, and the committee adopted an amendment before passing the bill as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is House Bill 55 by Representative Villio.
• So House Bill 608 is a basic bill, the way I see it, but it seeks to protect the confidentiality of documents
• House Bill 1035.
• I bring before you House Bill 1049.
• House Bill 1177, would you please read it in? Mr.

Bills: HB55 , HB608 , HB997 , HB1035 , HB1045 , HB1048 , HB1049 , HB1057 , HB1131 , HB1177 , HB1201

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Keywords: juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, intercollegiate athletics, confidentiality, revenue sharing, student athletes, official journal, public notices, government transparency, local government, municipal website, school board notices, parish council, police jury, special districts, levee district, drainage district

Transcript Highlights:

• I am... my question is around the legislation we introduced last year, House Bill 1974, for reminder
• So this is a look at the housing bills that have been passed. We went back to about 2009.
• But you can see the number of bills: 62 new housing bills, 29 new planning requirements since 2019.
• And when I think about the middle housing bill and the ADU bill, a couple of knock-on effects that are
• And when I think about the middle housing bill and the ADU bill, a couple of knock-on effects that are

Summary: The committee met for work sessions on land banking/shared homeownership and on maximizing existing housing stock. Members first heard an overview from Commerce on alternative homeownership models, including community land trusts, limited equity cooperatives, condominiums, accessory dwelling units, middle housing, church land for housing, and public land transfers. The discussion focused on how these models can help households build equity while keeping housing permanently affordable. Committee members asked about statewide counts of co-ops and land trusts, and Commerce said it does not track all of those entities directly. Pierce County staff then described the Pierce County Community Development Corporation’s rapid acquisition fund and its role in acquiring, holding, and transferring public land for affordable housing. They said the county used general fund and affordable housing sales tax dollars to buy properties, preserve a manufactured home park through resident ownership, and create a pipeline of sites for future development. Members asked about the advantages of a public development authority, funding sources, the use of surplus and underutilized public property, and how the model works with housing authorities. Spokane land bank staff followed with testimony that land banks can reduce blight, preserve affordability, and help nonprofits acquire land quickly, but that holding costs and taxes can make the work harder without state support. They also described brownfield assessments, donated properties, and work on Black homeownership and public surplus properties. The committee then heard from the Northwest Cooperative Development Center on limited equity cooperatives, especially in manufactured housing communities. The witness said Washington now has about 43 limited equity co-ops and that recent subsidy funding and legislation have accelerated resident purchases of manufactured home communities. Members asked how residents benefit from capped equity, how values are affected, and whether the model improves access to lending; the witness said the model stabilizes costs, allows modest equity gains, and that a recent law allowing manufactured homes in co-ops to be titled as real property should improve access to traditional financing. The committee also discussed House Bill 1974 from the prior session and possible updates to land banking legislation. In the second work session on maximizing existing housing stock, Commerce reviewed recent housing laws and implementation timelines, including ADUs, middle housing, condo liability reform, SEPA changes, tiny homes, and co-living. Members raised concerns about the long implementation horizon, vacancy data, corporate ownership of homes, and the need for better support for small landlords and first-time ADU owners. Sightline then testified on mobile dwelling units, arguing that RVs, tiny houses on wheels, and similar units are a low-cost, quick-to-install housing option that is often blocked by zoning; the witness said many Washington residents already live in these units, often informally. Finally, AARP discussed housing options for older adults, including ADUs, missing middle, manufactured home communities, co-living, universal design, and village-style support models, emphasizing aging in place and the need for more accessible, affordable housing choices.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, and the Workforce Pell expanded the regular
• They explained that the bill was an omnibus bill that touched many things.
• So we did a financial fiscal assessment on that during when the bills ran.
• I think you said something about, you know, 90 days or something like that.
• I think you said something about, you know, 90 days or something like that.

Summary: The committee approved the November 3 minutes and then received an extensive presentation from Arkansas education and workforce officials on how the LEARNS and ACCESS Acts are affecting career and technical education, concurrent enrollment, and postsecondary readiness. Officials said the state’s goal is for students to leave high school employed, enrolled, or enlisted, and reported increases in K-12 CTE enrollment from about 161,000 to 171,000 students and concurrent CTE enrollment from about 12,000 to 16,000. They also described the new success-ready pathways, merit and distinction designations, and how those measures tie into school accountability and graduation outcomes. The discussion then turned to scholarships and grants. Officials explained that ACCESS expanded concurrent credit support, increased funding per credit hour, and broadened eligibility for the Arkansas Academic Challenge and Governor’s Scholar programs by adding diploma-of-merit and diploma-of-distinction pathways. They said the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship itself did not change, but the non-distinguished Governor’s Scholar award now includes diploma of distinction as an additional eligibility route. Members raised concerns about how these requirements apply to private school and homeschool students, and officials said the intent is to ensure those students can qualify if they meet the same standards, though some implementation details are still being worked out. Questions also focused on whether students who explore multiple pathways could be penalized in school letter grades; officials said the system allows multiple ways to earn credit, including AP, IB, concurrent credit, technical certificates, and apprenticeships. Officials also reviewed workforce scholarships and short-term training funding. They said the state is developing policy for the Workforce Challenge and related professional skills training to set an 80-hour minimum and tiered funding, and they discussed the new federal Workforce Pell rules, which they said are very narrow and will likely apply to only a small number of Arkansas programs unless providers repackage training into stackable, credit-bearing pathways. Members asked for lists of eliminated programs, apprenticeships, and data on scholarship recipients, and staff said they could provide those. The committee also heard from Cody Waites on a $35.8 million U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreement for the American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund, which Arkansas will administer nationally. He said the grant will support advanced manufacturing apprenticeships, use a pay-for-performance model, and be distributed to sponsors after apprentices are employed for 90 days, with applications opening January 28 and the state expecting to keep administrative costs under 8-9%.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, we've got hopefully a good presentation coming on what we've done with the State House.
• House.
• The audiovisual equipment for the new State House is included in this amendment.
• So, relative to budget today, we've bid and awarded about 90% of the project.
• We've bid about 90% of the work, and today we're about $5 million under budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that this bill get passed the way it is. that this bill get passed the way it is.
• </c> pass on Senate Bill 604. pass on Senate Bill 604. &gt;&gt; All<00:48:07.760><c> right.
• So this bill is fairly simple.
• So we felt that this bill them.
• </c> we are in support of Senate Bill 605. we are in support of Senate Bill 605.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to testify in strong support of House Bill 3486, Senate Bill 2252, House
• you today: House Bill 3486, sponsored by Kim Ferguson, Senate Bill 2252, House Bill 3457, and Senate
• Turning to House Bill 3514 and Senate Bill 2295, these bills would significantly alter EMWIC's governance
• you today, House Bill 3486, sponsored by Kim Ferguson, Senate Bill 2252, House Bill 3457, and Senate
• Turning to H, House Bill 3514 and Senate Bill 2295, these bills would significantly alter Emuick's governance

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a range of energy, utility, broadband, and municipal infrastructure bills. Representative Powell supported H 3466, which would create a task force to study public ownership of utilities and alternatives to investor-owned electric and gas systems. Representative Therber supported H 3574, which would use RGGI funds to reimburse cities and towns affected by power plant decommissioning, citing lost jobs, tax revenue, and service cuts in communities such as Somerset, Plymouth, Salem, and Everett. Several witnesses from municipal light plants and related organizations testified in support of mutual aid bills, including H 3486/S 2252 and H 3330/S 2277, saying the measures would clarify protections and liability coverage for MLP workers assisting in emergencies and non-emergency work. Jim Leiden of EMWIC opposed H 3514/S 2295, saying the proposed board and governance changes would reduce local control, add burdens, and weaken confidentiality protections. A committee member asked whether the mutual aid bills had been reviewed for municipal impacts, and the witnesses said they had done due diligence. The committee also heard extensive testimony on H 3551/S 2306, the smart meter opt-out bills. Supporters argued that smart meters emit harmful wireless radiation, that some residents have developed health problems or electromagnetic sensitivity, and that opt-outs should be available without fees or penalties; several witnesses urged notification, consent, and non-transmitting analog meter options. The committee also heard testimony from municipal officials and the Massachusetts Municipal Association in support of H 3462/S 2250, which would strengthen municipal authority to enforce timely removal of double utility poles, citing safety, accessibility, and construction-delay concerns. Derek Leffert of Gateway Fiber opposed H 3450, saying it would improperly shift broadband deployment costs to competitors. At the end of testimony, the chair closed the hearing by motion and vote, with members voting aye and no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to speak on Senate Bill 524, House Bill 873, sponsored by Rep. Erica Idahoan, Rep.
• very nicely with that bill that's in House Ways and Means.
• House Bill 834, Senate Bill 505.
• House Bill 820.
• This includes House Bill 3918, 4095, 4096, 4209, and 4223.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Summary: The Joint Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on a wide range of voting-access and election-administration bills. The largest portion of testimony focused on same-day voter registration (H. 834/S. 505), with support from Rep. Gentile, Boston and Chelsea officials, civic groups, and election administrators from Maine and Vermont. Supporters argued that same-day registration would help eligible voters who move frequently, miss deadlines, or face administrative errors, and would reduce rejected provisional ballots. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Vermont elections director Sean Sheehan testified that same-day registration has worked in their states without major administrative problems and has helped increase turnout. A Boston-based panel also described high rejection rates for provisional ballots and the burden of registration cutoffs on renters, students, immigrants, and low-income voters. A second major topic was restoration of voting rights for incarcerated people, including S. 524 and related House bills. The committee heard extensive virtual testimony from incarcerated individuals at MCI Norfolk and MCI Shirley, who said voting should be restored as part of rehabilitation, civic engagement, and reintegration. They described disenfranchisement as dehumanizing and argued that voting would help maintain family and community ties, reduce recidivism, and give incarcerated people a voice on laws affecting prisons and reentry. Rep. Erica Uyterhoeven also testified in support, saying the bill would restore municipal voting rights for incarcerated residents and align with broader efforts to expand political participation. The committee also heard testimony on bills affecting election administration and access, including a proposal to reduce or eliminate mandated early in-person voting in primaries and shorten the general-election early voting period, with supporters from the town clerks’ community arguing that low usage, staffing burdens, and costs justify the change. Opponents warned that reducing in-person early voting could hurt voters who do not use mail ballots and could disproportionately affect communities of color. Other bills discussed included decoupling the municipal census from voter registration, requiring periodic accessibility inspections of polling places, and a Somerville home-rule petition on non-citizen municipal voting and another on lowering the voting age in municipal elections. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 64. We're jumping between Senate and House bills.
• It's the House Democratic Leadership bill analysis, page two.
• All right, House Bill 256, Representative Herndon. Our House bill...
• Is there anybody online in favor of House Bill 256? Please indicate by raising your hand.
• House Bill 256 questions from committee. Representative Cullen? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Bills: HB30 , HB120 , HJR1 , SB210 , SB306

Committee: House House Education

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 64, which would codify the existing Office of Special Education within the Public Education Department, create a deputy secretary position, and formalize responsibilities for enforcing special education law, monitoring disability protections, and supporting a statewide online IEP system. The sponsor and PED officials said the bill would provide continuity, improve compliance with IDEA, help students who move between schools, and keep gifted education unchanged in its current curriculum-and-instruction placement. An amendment requiring quarterly consultation with superintendents and charter school leaders was also described as a way to improve collaboration and continuous improvement. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive from educators, disability advocates, parents, superintendents, unions, and charter school representatives, who said the bill would improve accountability, transparency, and services for students with disabilities. One parent testified in opposition to the gifted-education language, warning that removing gifted students from the special education umbrella could weaken protections and services. Committee members asked about cost, the office’s current structure, the role of 504 plans, and how the bill would affect military and foster students; PED said the office is already staffed and funded primarily through federal IDEA dollars and that 504 enforcement remains separate, though the office may monitor related protections. The committee then voted do pass. The committee next heard House Bill 256, which would require schools to include cardiac emergency response procedures for athletic activities and ensure AEDs are clearly marked and accessible at those events. Supporters, including the American Heart Association, nurses, and school leaders, emphasized that AEDs and trained staff can dramatically improve survival in sudden cardiac arrest cases. Questions focused on how many AEDs schools would need, whether schools already have them, and how the bill would affect middle school athletics and budgets; the sponsor said schools would determine the best placement, with at least one AED available for athletic events. The committee voted do pass. Finally, the committee heard House Memorial 43, which asks LESC and PED to study how New Mexico and other states measure school performance, including the use of the Lexile reading framework. Superintendents argued that Lexile provides a more consistent, apples-to-apples comparison than some state accountability measures and could better reflect student growth. There was no opposition, members asked about possible study costs, and the memorial passed on a do pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that House Bill 2913 and its companion House Bill 3228 be voted do pass.
• So it'll now be House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228. So any...
• I now move that the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2913 and House Bill 3228 be voted do pass
• House Bill 3228 do pass.
• Anybody for informational purposes on House Bill 2396 with, for informational purposes on House Bill

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Bills you'll see coming your way.
• Historically, since 2021, when House Bill 1168 was passed, $125 million a biennium was provided for this
• And then we send you the bill. And by law, you pay that bill for fire suppression.
• This number of aircraft is more than double what we would have had in previous years prior to House Bill
• The legislature enacted House Bill 758, renaming the Department of Game the Department of Wildlife.

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a December 4 work session focused first on a Department of Natural Resources update. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthe Grove outlined the agency’s size and responsibilities, previewed several agency-request bills, and emphasized budget-related priorities: authority to sell ecosystem service credits, greater flexibility to use underutilized water rights for drought relief and rural/agricultural support, adding a tribal representative to the Board of Natural Resources, timber-sale efficiency changes, and inclusion of wildland firefighters in the LEOFF pension system. He also strongly urged restoration of wildfire prevention and preparedness funding, warning that cuts would reduce firefighters, forest health work, and support for rural fire districts. He said the agency supports funding the negotiated Washington Public Employees Association contract. State Forester George Geisler then reviewed the wildfire season, describing year-round fire response, mutual aid to other states, 31 aircraft used, 691 seasonal firefighters, and more than 180 corrections-based crew members. He said DNR’s success rate for keeping fires under 10 acres improved to 94.1 percent, and highlighted early detection and rapid response on the Crescent Road Fire, which was contained to 182 acres with no structures lost. He also noted 53 confirmed arson fires, mostly around Spokane, and said the department’s use of bulldozers and other ground resources is increasingly important alongside aircraft. Assistant Deputy Supervisor Dwayne Emmons presented on the trust land transfer program, explaining that it was codified in statute in 2023 after decades of being funded through the capital budget. He said the program moves non-performing or underperforming trust lands to other public entities while keeping the trust whole through replacement land purchases. He described recent funded projects, including Bechler 6, Okanogan G, South Lake Ozette, and portions of Yakama Nation’s Tract C, and said DNR is requesting funding for remaining parcels such as Tract C, Babcock Bench, and Middle Fork Snoqualmie. The committee then shifted to a historical overview of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife by staffer Jeff Olson, who traced the agency’s evolution from early fish and game commissions to the current Fish and Wildlife Commission structure established in 1995. He summarized the commission’s statutory duties and appointment structure, and noted that in other states the director may be appointed either by the governor or by a commission. In discussion, the chair said he was not proposing immediate legislation to change the commission, but wanted to explore accountability and possible reforms, including whether the department should again become a cabinet-level agency. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned with no objection.