Transcript Highlights:

• A bill to be entitled an act relating to sales tax rate reductions.
• It provides $246 million for nursing home rate increases. It provides...
• It provides $246 million for nursing home rate increases.
• Representative, I'm not familiar with that lawsuit, but you referenced super low rates.
• Can you give me an idea of what super low rates means?

Summary: The House convened on the final day of session, observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for Representative Rosenwald’s father, then swore in and seated new members Boyles and Hodgers. The Speaker also outlined the chamber’s end-of-session priorities, including action on the budget and related conforming bills. The House then took up H.J.R. 5019, a constitutional amendment to expand Florida’s budget stabilization fund by raising the cap, requiring annual transfers, and allowing withdrawals for critical state needs. After sponsor explanations and questions about what would qualify as a critical need and how the fund might respond to possible federal funding cuts, the House adopted an amendment that added more flexibility for suspending transfers and withdrawals. The joint resolution then passed on final passage. Members next considered HB 7031, the tax package conference report. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or extends several sales tax exemptions and holidays, and makes changes affecting property taxes, local taxes, pari-mutuel taxes, and revenue distributions. Debate focused heavily on the new permanent exemption for ammunition and hunting-related items, the elimination of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related distributions, and the shift of some funding from recurring to nonrecurring status. Supporters argued the package provides tax relief and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents criticized the ammunition exemption and the reductions in recurring housing and transit support. The conference report was adopted and the bill passed. The House then passed HB 5017, which creates a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer from general revenue to retire state bonds early, and HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment. Finally, the chamber began explanation and questions on the General Appropriations Act conference report for fiscal year 2025-26, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major budget areas, including K-12 education, health care, transportation and economic development, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology, highlighting funding for school choice, Medicaid, housing, transportation infrastructure, Everglades restoration, workforce programs, cybersecurity, and technology modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• . with delinquency rates student loans. with delinquency rates now<00:10:49.200><c> reaching</c><00:10
• to the national rate.
• In December, Minnesota's unemployment rate was 4.1%, up 1.1 percentage points from a rate of 3.0% one
• Although the unemployment rate has risen, Minnesota's rate remains below the national rate, and the state's
• Um, we have the AAA bond rating.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're giving a rate reduction on natural gas bills to somebody, to some people.
• It's going to make rates lower for individual customers.
• This is going to be decided by the PSC in a subsequent rate case proceeding.
• You are anticipating the outcome of a rate case that has not happened yet.
• I'm saying, no, there has to be a rate case. And so we can't sit here.

Committee: Senate Energy And Telecommunications

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications considered a large agenda focused mainly on energy affordability, the CLCPA, utility rates, and renewable energy siting. Senator Mattera and other Republican members argued that the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act has driven up utility bills, harmed reliability, and imposed costs on ratepayers, while Democratic members pushed back that rising costs are also driven by natural gas markets, infrastructure costs, and broader economic factors. Several bills sought to repeal or pause CLCPA-related policies, create a CLCPA task force, impose studies or moratoriums on new energy taxes and fees, and increase transparency around utility surcharges and state energy spending. Supporters framed these measures as ratepayer relief and accountability; opponents said some proposals would undermine clean-energy policy and existing consumer-benefit programs. The committee defeated S.1167, which would have repealed the All Electric Building Act, and S.1173, which would have created a CLCPA task force. It also failed S.5250, a bill to study CLCPA costs and impose a moratorium on new energy taxes, fees, or regulations, and S.7075, which would have prohibited the system benefits charge on utility bills. Several other bills advanced, including S.1236A on virtual access and electronic filing for Public Service Commission proceedings, S.1552 establishing reduced residential rates for low-income electric and natural gas customers, S.2484 directing a study of replacement timeframes for battery storage and renewable facilities, S.2638 on carbon allowance auction proceeds, S.3247 on electric vehicle charging stations, S.3553 requiring utilities to post promotional and educational materials on their websites, S.4571A creating a floating solar incentive education program, S.5518 shifting Public Service Commission funding to legislative appropriation, and S.6412A requiring itemized ratepayer disclosure of surcharges. S.9251, on labor-related legal costs, was referred to the Labor Committee. S.7710, which would have restricted energy storage systems near schools and homes in New York City, failed after concerns and support were debated. The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our staffing is currently 40 positions below what was budgeted for 2025, a 12.13.2% vacancy rate.
• Right now, as I said, we're at basically... ...a 13.2% vacancy rate for budget reasons and to comply
• with the statute that says we should move towards a 15% vacancy rate.
• Well, and I know there's been an issue about financial support separate from the vacancy rate.
• That relates back to what we're doing related to the vacancy rate.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules established a quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Rick Simpson to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Trinidad Solis, M.D., and Gerald Talbert, M.D., to the Medical Board of California. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees and floor acknowledgments before moving to State Bar appointments requiring testimony. The committee heard from George Cardona, reappointed as Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar, who described reforms made after the Girardi matter, efforts to reduce discipline disparities, backlog reduction measures, and staffing shortages tied to a vacancy rate and increased incoming complaints. Senators questioned him about safeguards against misconduct, the John Eastman disbarment case, discipline disparities affecting Black and Latino attorneys, unauthorized practice of law by notarios, and the use of AI in complaints and pleadings. Public witnesses from the State Bar, SEIU Local 1000, and others supported his confirmation, and the committee voted 3-0 to advance him to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Laura Enderton Speed, nominated as Executive Director of the State Bar. She emphasized restoring public trust, improving operations, addressing the February 2025 bar exam problems, and strengthening discipline and admissions processes. Senators asked about the State Bar’s structural budget deficit, the ongoing audit and investigations related to the bar exam, conflict-of-interest safeguards after Girardi, and plans for the future of the bar exam. Public testimony was uniformly supportive, and the committee voted 5-0 to advance her nomination to the Senate floor. The meeting concluded with final votes on the earlier items, thanks to Senator Jones for his service on the committee, and adjournment to executive session after a cake presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, L&I, we set rates for workers' comp, and those rates are set by... I have...
• We set rates for workers' comp, and those rates are set by experience ratings through the risk class,
• What's been happening for about the last 15 years is those rates have been...
• , to try to keep them at somewhat of a steady rate.
• It's a really super, you know... ...somewhat of a steady rate.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB5831 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB6044 , SB6132 , SJM8002

Summary: The House received a Senate message that Substitute House Bill 1570 had passed the Senate, then moved several bills from Rules to the second reading calendar, including Substitute Senate Bill 5242 on anaphylaxis medications in schools and Senate Bill 6132 on Inland Port District debt. The chamber then took up several bills, beginning with Senate Bill 5988 on Department of Health accreditation fee authority for opioid treatment programs. Amendment 2336 to cap the fee at $17,000 was debated at length but rejected, and a separate amendment to add safe-injection-site language was ruled out of scope. Senate Bill 5988 then passed 62-34. Substitute Senate Bill 6309 on enhanced municipal permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects drew multiple amendments focused on Sound Transit’s authority. Amendments to require written consent from abutting property owners, to add flood-zone and seismic/critical-area protections, and to address public-records issues were either rejected or ruled beyond scope, though the local government committee amendment was adopted. The bill passed 56-38. The House also passed Substitute Senate Bill 5886 on digital personality rights and Senate Bill 6136 on transparency in workers’ compensation rate-setting, both with strong bipartisan support. Later, the House passed a series of additional bills: Substitute Senate Bill 6034 codifying the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs; Gross Second Substitute Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization reform, with remarks emphasizing limits on AI in health care decisions; Substitute Senate Bill 6248 creating the Washington Travel Insurance Act; Substitute Senate Bill 5720 establishing uniform consumer debt default judgment procedures; Senate Bill 5995 on port modernization funding and labor considerations; Senate Bill 6103 affecting rural hospitals; Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6110 creating a work group on e-motorcycles; Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5156 allowing smaller elevators to support accessible, more affordable housing; Substitute Senate Bill 6269 updating motor fuel definitions to include hydrogen; Substitute Senate Bill 6189 giving Thurston County more time to pursue an aquatics public facilities district; and Senate Bill 6134 requiring unemployment applicants to acknowledge repayment obligations if retroactive union pay is received. Most of these bills passed with large margins, and the House adjourned after completing final passage votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• waiver, but the CMS directions seem to make that split, with 100% for tribal members and the normal rate
• waiver but the CMS directions seem to make that split, with 100% for tribal members and the normal rate
• are non-Native, and they have, as Native American recovery centers, the 21 of them have the highest rate
• This matters because providers cannot legally compare or discuss their individual reimbursement rates
• It does not set rates. It does not change contracts. Solution. It does not set rates.

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee held public hearings on four bills and then took executive action on three measures. HB 2555 would require the Health Care Authority to apply for a Medicaid waiver to cover traditional health care practices provided through Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian facilities. Supporters, including the prime sponsor, tribal health leaders, and the Health Care Authority, said the bill would recognize traditional medicine, expand access, and leverage federal funding, though HCA noted the July 1, 2026 waiver deadline and urban Indian reimbursement questions may be difficult to resolve. HB 2685 would codify tribal data sovereignty principles for state agencies, require reporting of notifiable conditions to tribal health jurisdictions, and exempt certain tribal data from public disclosure. Tribal representatives supported the bill as necessary for access, governance, and better public health planning, while the Washington Coalition for Open Government and HCA raised concerns about the breadth of the PRA exemption, undefined ownership interests, and implementation details. HB 2658 would require health carriers to submit standardized public data on behavioral health and other coverage and access metrics, with the Insurance Commissioner posting the information on a public dashboard. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency about mental health parity and help families, employers, and policymakers compare plans; opponents argued it duplicates or complicates recent parity reforms and could be misinterpreted. HB 2683 would shorten carrier credentialing timelines from 90 days to 30 days and require carriers to post billing and coverage information online. Supporters said it would reduce delays for providers and patients, while opponents warned the shorter timeline could be hard to meet and that posting information without login protections could raise privacy concerns. In executive session, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2168, which concerns overdose mapping data, then reported the substitute bill out with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 16-1. It rejected an amendment to HB 2196 that would have extended PANDAS/PANS coverage to public and school employee plans, then advanced the substitute bill with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 15-2. Finally, the committee passed HB 2545, which would allow ambulatory surgical facilities to perform elective percutaneous coronary interventions, by a vote of 13-4, after members discussed safety, access, and cost savings.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are asking for the membership rate for the Lease Assistance Award to increase per statute.
• Again, a brief overview: the first is to adjust the MEM rate per the 2024 Consumer Price Index for the
• This MEM rate has been awarded annually over time.
• We basically multiply the MEM rate, as determined by the council, by the number of students from the
• If we went to the maximum allowable, we'd have 46 charter schools with 100% MEM rate. Mr.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• Over half the nursing homes in Texas have an overall rating of one or two stars.
• There are multiple parts of the rating.
• or more of the listed CMS Five-Star Quality Rating categories.
• When they have a lower occupancy rate, it's much harder to hit those requirements. ...numbers.
• It repeals the nursing facility direct care staff rate enhancement program.

Bills: HB660 , HB4845 , HB3902 , HB5396 , HB4615 , HB1825 , HB1403 , HB4336 , HB4585 , HB4371 , HB863 , SB1589 , HB5223 , HB3195 , HB2734

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• often takes advantage of taxpayers by using financing instruments that don't necessarily raise the tax rate
• This is a property tax rate calculation bill that will ensure that that hotel occupancy taxes are used
• election, then those funds will be counted in favor of the taxpayers and lower. their property tax rate
• property tax rate for the benefit of local taxpayers.
• That's how SB2 is supposed to work, and that's a voter approval rate.

Bills: SB317 , SB1250 , SB1520 , SB1950 , SB2298 , SB2532 , SB2539 , SB2747 , SB2925 , SB2993

Committee: Senate Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• What's your default rate on your bridge loan? Sure.
• That's why the 6% rate is tied to the SBDC counseling.
• One is, you mentioned that you guys would reduce the rate from 12 to 6%.
• What I'll tell you is we're not at an optimum place with vacancy rates yet.
• We are trying to get that 8 percent vacancy rate.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met to continue its review of hurricane impacts and state response. The committee first heard from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which described its four core functions—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and highlighted its 24/7 State Watch Office, regional training efforts, and disaster assistance work. Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruitt detailed the state’s 2024 storm response, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, citing large-scale mission support, flood-control deployments, meal and water distribution, power restoration, debris removal, and billions in disaster funding and mitigation dollars. He also discussed debris management challenges and recommended that local governments update and exercise debris plans and maintain contingency contracts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We went from a B rating implementing this to a D rating this year.
• On TEA's A-F ratings of 22-23 school year, my home district, Cypher ISD long time a rated district a
• attend an A or B rated. school.
• The bill also prohibits the EA commissioner from assigning an overall performance rating of not rated
• And did you know that The recidivism rate in a regular prison is 68%, but the recidivism rate. in a faith-based

Bills: HB4 , HB54 , SB 10 , SB 24 , HB4 , HB54 , HB775 , HB850 , HB 1122 , HB 1249 , HB1405 , HB2336 , HB2757 , HB3372 , HB3622 , HB4442 , HB4687 , HB4893 , HB5089 , HB5515 , HB5606 , SB10 , SB24 , HB1573 , HB3369

Committee: House Public Education

Transcript Highlights:

• My rate might be 120, so that's the rate.
• That's actual rate.
• So we could just change cost rate... actual rate of available and accessible hotels and motels.
• </c> laws that you cannot change rate laws that you cannot change rate depending<00:28:48.200><c> on<
• </c><00:28:55.760><c> of</c> change cost rate we could actual rate of change cost rate we could actual

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Native Americans face significantly higher rates of homelessness and housing insecurity in California
• We know the success rate is very low.
• And then the last point I'll make is that as we move again through implementation of the tiered rate
• So I will say that our all-county letter did make it clear that the rate had to be sustained.
• So I will say that our all-county letter did make it clear that the rate had to be sustained.

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• For measles, you need a 95% vaccination rate to maintain herd immunity.
• For measles, you need a 95% vaccination rate to maintain herd immunity.
• by passing an act relative to rate equity for community health centers.
• by passing an act relative to rate equity for community health centers.
• And the rates of children with peanut or tree nut allergies have tripled.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held an introductory informational hearing for the new session, with Chairs Marjorie Decker and Senator Michael Driscoll outlining the committee’s scope and emphasizing the impact of the federal landscape on Massachusetts public health. They noted the hearing would focus on testimony from agencies and advocates, with short testimony limits due to the hybrid format. No votes were taken; the meeting was for briefing and discussion of priorities. Commissioner Robbie Goldstein of the Department of Public Health described the department’s budget and federal funding, warning that recent CDC grant terminations could cut nearly $100 million and affect lab testing, surveillance, vaccines, and community engagement. He highlighted DPH priorities including racial equity, maternal health, substance use and child welfare coordination, emergency preparedness, data transparency, and public hospital quality. MassHealth Assistant Secretary Michael Levine discussed MassHealth’s role covering about 2 million residents and its priorities in health equity, behavioral health, primary care, member independence, and customer service, while noting the agency relies heavily on federal Medicaid dollars and would face major strain from federal cuts. Several advocacy and provider groups focused on reproductive health and maternal health. Planned Parenthood warned of threats to Title X, 340B savings, and other federal funding, and supported a bill to eliminate parental consent and judicial bypass for abortion care for young people. Reproductive Equity Now urged stronger shield-law protections and changes to Massachusetts’ later-abortion framework. Dr. Indyamaka Anugaka called for full implementation of the maternal health law, better reimbursement for doulas and midwives, stronger data collection, and support for full-spectrum pregnancy care coverage. The Health Policy Commission said new maternal health and primary care task forces would begin work soon. Mental health and health system access were also major themes. The Mass Medical Society urged action on vaccine hesitancy, removal of non-medical school vaccine exemptions, and primary care reform. The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health and the Children’s Mental Health Campaign opposed proposed cuts to DMH and substance use services, called for more school-based supports, and raised concerns about inpatient capacity, including a unit serving LGBTQ youth. The Massachusetts Nurses Association and 1199 SEIU warned that staffing shortages, low wages, workplace violence, hospital closures, and possible Medicaid cuts threaten patient care and the health care workforce. The Betsy Lehman Center also urged investment in automated patient-safety monitoring to reduce harm and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Utility rates are going up.
• Garbage rates, electricity rates are going up, insurance rates are going up, and now we're giving the
• The maximum millage rate determines what millage rate can be levied by a government with a majority vote
• This bill aligns the maximum millage rate with the rollback rate.
• The rollback rate is the millage rate that would provide a taxing authority with the same tax revenue

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:

• My own January PSC average kilowatt rate was up about 35% year on year.
• Providers cannot sustain frozen rates while wages and operating costs continue to rise.
• We ask that you reinvest those savings into a rate increase.
• Thank you so much for the scheduled update to skilled nursing rates.
• Competing for workers at that rate is impossible.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on proposed substitute House Bill 2289, the House operating budget. Budget staff Mary Monroe gave a detailed overview of the proposal’s near general fund outlook, reserve levels, major revenue assumptions, and major spending and savings items. She highlighted assumed revenue from capital gains and a proposed “millionaires tax,” a transfer from the budget stabilization account, administrative reductions across agencies, and several major policy shifts, including changes affecting Working Connections Child Care, K-12 education, higher education, long-term care, behavioral health, wildfire response, and state employee compensation. Members then asked questions, including about the higher education building account/operating fee swap and its interaction with the capital budget and Climate Commitment Act funds. The committee also announced amendment deadlines for the budget process. The bulk of the meeting was public testimony, with many speakers generally supporting or opposing specific parts of the budget. Supportive testimony praised funding for wildfire prevention, public health, reproductive health, civil legal aid, the Poison Center, some higher education institutions, and certain disability and child welfare services. Many speakers urged restoration or protection of funding for K-12 education, especially transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, bus depreciation, and Running Start; others opposed cuts to child care, early learning, public defense, long-term care, adult day and home care services, occupational/physical/speech therapy for Medicaid patients, and community and technical colleges. Several local government, health, and nonprofit representatives also asked the committee to preserve public works, homelessness, energy assistance, environmental justice, and recovery/diversion programs, while some business and public safety groups sought continued funding for organized retail crime prevention and related initiatives. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee recessed briefly and later resumed with virtual testimony, where additional witnesses repeated concerns about education cuts, long-term care, health care access, disability services, dispute resolution, early childhood programs, and the need for ongoing or increased funding in those areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of Medicare rates, you have some specialties that typically are higher than 300%.
• In terms of Medicare rates, you have some specialties that typically are higher than 300%.
• We're not saying you can't contract for higher rates.
• Thank you. ...for higher rates. What we're saying is, let's cut down the abuse.
• He contrasted that with regular court recidivism rates of 80 to 95 percent.

Bills: HB2211 , HB2229 , HB2389 , HB2403 , HB2445 , HB2502 , HB2620 , HB2813 , HB2872 , HB2889 , HB2960 , HB4028 , HCR2007

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: contractors, subcontractors, resident preference, public contracts, materials supply, Arizona Revised Statutes, local businesses, pregnancy resource center, pregnancy center, crisis pregnancy center, DHS, Arizona Department of Health Services, state appropriation, general fund, nonprofit grant, women's health, maternal health, reproductive health, abortion funding, pro-life

Transcript Highlights:

• increasing to the 85th percentile of market rates in 2027, as was expected.
• There's a proposal to delay rebases for the assisted living facilities and nursing home rates.
• This holds that increase flat at the 2026 rate.
• The next is a preferential B&O rate.
• Please reject this proposal and restore the funding allocated for rate-based raises last year.

Summary: The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard an overview from OFM Director Katie Chapman See on Governor Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental budget proposal. She said the budget was built in response to higher caseloads and inflation, a roughly $390 million revenue forecast drop, new federal costs tied to H.R. 1, and a relatively small ending fund balance. The proposal would increase near general fund spending by about $1.1 billion and solve an estimated $2.3 billion two-year gap through about $800 million in reductions, revenue shifts and tax preference changes, use of other funds, and about $1 billion from the budget stabilization account. She also noted the budget is balanced over two years but not fully over four years under the state’s outlook rules. Chapman See highlighted reductions in Working Connections Child Care, including a soft cap on enrollment and holding subsidy rates at the 75th percentile, delays to long-term care and developmental disability-related changes, and across-the-board reductions to higher education and administrative spending. She also described investments in wildfire suppression and preparedness, affordability programs like utility rebates and home energy assistance, housing-related planning and permitting support, One Washington IT replacement, behavioral health workforce programs, and continued support for some K-12 initiatives such as ninth grade success and homeless student stability. In response to questions, she said some proposed cuts were based on the governor’s subjective judgment about what was critically necessary, that current child care enrollees would not be cut off immediately, and that the budget would maintain services for about 500 highest-acuity Medicaid clients who lost eligibility under federal changes. Public testimony was largely critical of the proposed cuts in K-12, early learning, and higher education. School officials, educators, nurses, and advocacy groups opposed reductions to Transition to Kindergarten, Local Effort Assistance, Running Start, MSOC, school leadership and support grants, and higher education funding, arguing the cuts would worsen existing funding gaps and harm student outcomes. Several witnesses supported restoring or maintaining funding for ninth grade success, Treehouse’s foster youth graduation program, homeless student stability, and Science on Wheels. In early learning, child care providers and advocates opposed the Working Connections cap and subsidy-rate reduction, warning it would reduce access and destabilize providers. In higher education, campus leaders and labor representatives opposed across-the-board cuts and fund shifts, while some institutions and advocates supported targeted investments such as behavioral health workforce programs and DigiPen aid restoration. In human services, Planned Parenthood advocates praised restored abortion access funding and Medicaid reimbursements. The committee took no votes or final action in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Defrail costs from our premium rates.
• </c><00:12:01.200><c> setting</c> um when it comes to the rate setting um when it comes to the rate setting
• 00:13:16.320><c> is</c><00:13:16.560><c> set</c> whole rate setting process is set whole rate setting
• </c> their rates and lower premiums. their rates and lower premiums.
• </c> rate would have been much higher. rate would have been much higher.

Bills: HF3388 , HF400

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The consequences of this gap are clear, and the industry's turnover rates.
• From January 2021 through August 2025, the average turnover rate was over 113.56%.
• In 2022 alone, the turnover rate reached an alarming 187%.
• I heard about the high turnover rate, and yet I wonder if law enforcement also has high turnover rates
• This threshold and rate applies to both non-agricultural and agricultural employees.

Bills: HB2513 , HB2524 , HB2611

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: plumbing contractor, plumber, license suspension, credential suspension, administrative penalty, infractions, repeat violator, consumer protection, residential plumbing, construction licensing, Washington Department of Labor and Industries, advisory board of plumbers, plumbing certificate fund, code enforcement, professional licensing, trade regulation, security, regulation, employment standards, security guards