Transcript Highlights:

• It is the possibility of the event that occurs to compromise critical service.
• I think that one of the big takeaways of this flooding event was that mitigation works.
• December flood event.
• For example, the OIC has staff attend over 25 community events the past.
• flood event.

Bills: HB2579

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: public media, digital equity, funding, media access, communication technology

Transcript Highlights:

• We also pledged to work with the commissioner's office in the event any concerns come to fruition if
• We pledged to work with the commissioner's office in the event any concerns come to fruition if this
• The OIC has attended over 25 local community events and disaster assistance centers over the past six
• So in the event of a loss, the...
• So in the event of a loss, the Lending institution allows it.

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held public hearings on three bills and then moved into a work session on insurance-related topics. House Bill 2428 would require life insurers to send advance written notice of an impending lapse or cancellation, including notice to a designated third party, and to provide proof of delivery; it would also require applicants to be told they may designate such a third party. The prime sponsor and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner supported the bill as a consumer protection measure for older or vulnerable policyholders, while the life insurance industry supported the concept but requested a delayed implementation date and a small technical amendment. The committee then heard House Bill 2399, which would prohibit post-loss assignments of benefits in property insurance. Staff and the prime sponsor described the practice as allowing contractors to step into the policyholder’s shoes and potentially take control of claims, litigation, and settlement, often to the consumer’s detriment. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the Washington State Association for Justice, PEMCO, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau all supported the bill, emphasizing consumer vulnerability after disasters and the risk of fraud or inflated claims. Members asked about steering by adjusters, alternative ways for homeowners to authorize others to help with claims, and the $50,000 per-violation penalty, which would go to the general fund. House Bill 2087 would enact a Washington Travel Insurance Act based on the NAIC model, creating a more detailed statutory framework for travel insurance licensing, travel retailers, travel administrators, disclosures, and prohibited sales practices. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would expand consumer choice and standardize rules, while the Office of the Insurance Commissioner supported the compromise language but raised a remaining concern about claims being adjusted by unlicensed adjusters. The Attorney General’s Office testified that the bill should not be read to supersede Washington’s anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws, and the sponsor said amendments were being worked on to address that concern. In the work session, OIC and Department of Natural Resources staff presented the wildfire mitigation and resiliency work group report. They said the group reached consensus on several areas, including the importance of community-level mitigation, better data sharing, improved transparency around wildfire-related nonrenewals and cancellations, and a voluntary grant program to help homeowners retrofit to IBHS wildfire-prepared standards. Members asked about leadership for the recommendations, overlap with existing programs, privacy concerns in data sharing, and how the proposals would fit with broader statewide wildfire planning. The committee also received a briefing on flood insurance markets and claims after the December atmospheric flooding event, with staff noting that private flood policies generally offer broader coverage than the federal NFIP, and that Washington had seen about 700 federal claims and roughly $18 million paid out so far.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another category of data that hospitals must report is related to adverse health events.
• An adverse health event is an avoidable medical error, such as bed sores or medication errors.
• Of these events, 62% included a report for how the hospital would correct the issue.
• to hospitals to prevent the reoccurrence of these events.
• I want to go back to the adverse health events that you talked about.

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC audit presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and hospital data reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state requirements, did not consistently collect proof of those inspections, and was not reviewing adverse health event corrective action plans as required. JLARC also said DOH’s complaint system may have language-access barriers and that hospital data posted online is difficult for the public to use. JLARC made five recommendations to DOH and one to the Legislature; DOH concurred with the recommendations. DOH then outlined a response plan and said it had already begun work on several items. Officials said they would develop staffing and performance plans for inspections, verify accrediting body standards and require proof of third-party inspections, expand complaint forms into additional languages, seek funding and legal updates for adverse event review, and improve public access to hospital data, including a possible dashboard. They said annual progress updates would be provided to the Legislature and noted some improvement in inspection timeliness, while also emphasizing staffing, funding, and pandemic-related backlogs as constraints. The committee also received a DOH presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current program as a tool to assess community need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility expansions and new services, and recommended a phased modernization focused on clarifying statutory purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, modernizing access standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, securing ongoing funding, and using new state data systems. Members asked about streamlining overlapping inspections and whether triggers could be used to target inspections more efficiently. A final panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care, with a Coalition for Health AI representative describing industry efforts to create standards for responsible AI, including principles of usefulness, fairness, safety, transparency, security, and privacy, plus tools such as model cards and quality-assurance frameworks. The committee then heard testimony on federal and state health care funding changes from the Washington State Hospital Association and Providence Swedish, which warned that state cuts, taxes, and federal HR1 changes would worsen already thin margins, lead to service reductions, layoffs, and delayed capital investments, and increase charity care and uncompensated care. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange also began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits and the state’s Cascade Care Savings program, warning that coverage affordability for exchange customers could be affected if federal enhancements are not extended.

Transcript Highlights:

• , whether on school grounds or at school-sponsored athletic events.
• , whether on school grounds or at school-sponsored athletic events.
• Events. Does that extend to the bus ride?
• as off-school-ground events.
• Could give me how many events we've had in the last year, five years, or something along.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum call, then took up House amendments to Senate Bills 2009, 2147, and 2113. On motion, the Senate refused to concur in the House amendments and appointed conference committees for each bill. The chamber then considered several House bills, adopting amendments and passing House Bill 1556, which creates a Children's Cabinet work group to study out-of-home placement and treatment for children with behavioral health issues, and House Bill 1363, which directs development of a customizable cardiac emergency response plan template for schools and athletic events. House Bill 1533, requiring students to complete a half-unit of financial literacy for graduation, also passed after amendment. House Bill 1226, dealing with masks in public places and protest-related identification concerns, passed after the Judiciary Committee removed language about complying with law enforcement requests to unmask.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anytime we have car club events, we have police there.
• And it's really a community-friendly event. All right, thank you, sir. I appreciate it.
• There's a whole entourage of activities that follow these cruising events.
• It becomes a whole huge event unto itself.
• ... ...permit is required through the city in which you plan to have a cruising event.

Bills: HB2003 , HB2057 , HB2109 , HB2111 , HB2112 , HB2114 , HB2256 , HB2259 , HB2317 , HB2323 , HB2398 , HB2443 , HB2446 , HB2574

Committee: House Transportation & Infrastructure

Keywords: driver education, instruction permit, underage drivers, motorcycle licenses, traffic regulations, special plates, centennial, Arizona Department of Transportation, vehicle registration, commercial discounts, Arizona Centennial, distracted driving, portable wireless communication devices, motorcycles, traffic safety, civil penalties, driver license, examinations, motorcycle awareness, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Campgrounds in flood-prone areas to have actionable floodplain plans in the event of a disaster.
• Catastrophic event; they were wholly unprepared for any flooding event.
• Things that fit in this bucket, managing a mass fatality event.
• that have jurisdiction as coroners in these events.
• This council should look at that holistically in terms of an event.

Bills: HB2 , HB1 , HB18 , HB19 , HB20 , HB1 , HB2 , HB18 , HB19 , HB20

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• the Sing" that brings communities together for public choral events.
• We also have, as I've mentioned, a lot of live events, and some of NPR's live events include Rock the
• It's an event for kids and their families to come together to explore music.
• current events, like the Hmong New Year, which is featured as one of St.
• Socializing or dating event or whatever the ball toss.

Bills: HF1679 , HF1019 , HF2321 , HF1740 , HF2278

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• If it is an event that's open to the general public, like a fair or whatever, we still need the 14-day
• a</c><00:04:12.400><c> at</c><00:04:12.560><c> a</c><00:04:12.799><c> private</c><00:04:13.120><c> event
• </c> fact that it's at a at a private event fact that it's at a at a private event that's<00:04:13.680
• If<00:04:15.760><c> it</c><00:04:15.920><c> is</c><00:04:16.079><c> an</c><00:04:16.320><c> event</c>
• that's</c><00:04:16.880><c> open</c><00:04:17.040><c> to</c><00:04:17.199><c> the</c> If it is an event

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• California is also experiencing a decline in hosting large conventions in recent years, with some events
• Convention Center events have the potential to generate close to $587 million, making their relocation
• As the state prepares to host five major worldwide events over the next three years, cities need every
• hospitality zones as well for some of those events that I mentioned.
• You know, L.A. is set to host three big events: eight of the 14 World Cup games next summer, the 2027

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee heard a series of bills focused largely on alcohol licensing, nonprofit funding, tribal grants, public transparency, and tobacco policy. AB 342 (Haney) would allow local governments to create hospitality zones with extended last-call hours on certain days; supporters argued it would boost tourism, nightlife, and major-event readiness, while opponents warned of alcohol-related harms and public safety risks. AB 684 (Patel) would subject the UC Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools to open-meeting requirements, with supporters saying admissions-related changes should be more transparent and allow schools time to adjust. AB 1008 (Addis) would authorize up to 10 new on-sale general licenses in San Luis Obispo County to meet tourism demand, and AB 1039 (Hart) would require state agencies to offer advance payments on new nonprofit grants and contracts, which supporters said would help cash-strapped nonprofits deliver services. AB 221 (Ramos) would revise the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to provide more predictable annual distributions to eligible non-gaming and limited-gaming tribes, and it drew broad support from tribal representatives and others. AB 795 (Jeff Gonzalez) would create a California commission for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, with supporters describing it as a privately funded, nonpartisan planning body. AB 828/AB 28 (Mark Gonzalez, as referenced in the transcript) would expand neighborhood-restricted liquor licenses in Los Angeles County to reduce costs and support restaurant recovery, and AB 1246 (Hoover) would increase craft distillers’ direct sales limits and address barrel-storage rules; both were supported as small-business measures. AB 1428 (Ta) would require reporting of all surplus and underutilized state land, and AB 957 (Ortega) would prohibit tobacco sales in pharmacies, with strong public health support. Several bills were voted out on motions to Appropriations, some with amendments, while others were held or left on call until quorum was established; the committee also adopted a consent calendar and left rolls open for absent members on multiple measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:23.920><c> that</c> are politically motivated events that are politically motivated events
• </c> events to happen. events to happen.
• Chair, when we have these huge political events that are put together, the event of the last several
• I think the event.
• </c> political event or whatever it may be. political event or whatever it may be.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• We also recognize that we need to have them when these kinds of events happen so that we make sure, to
• I recount these events...
• This is a child who... has been through the ringer with weather events prior to this.
• Our families are welded together in this awful event. We are not alone.
• event.

Transcript Highlights:

• two, line 20, by deleting after the word 'a' and before the word 'unless' the words cybersecurity event
• so you can't do a class action lawsuit for cybersecurity event could you describe for the committee
• typically how many people are impacted by a cybersecurity event well with the adoption of the amendment
• it's a breach of a security system now instead of cybersecurity event that was the change I think it
• OK, with that explanation, what is to prevent or what happens in the event if an adult uploads that ID

Bills: SB1670 , SB1716 , SB1521

Committee: Senate Technology and Telecommunications

Keywords: higher education, state regents, university research, technology transfer, intellectual property, patent ownership, royalty income, commercialization, startup companies, research partnerships, public universities, faculty inventions, student inventions, innovation policy, economic development, medical technology, biotechnology, energy technology, telecommunications, aerospace and defense

Transcript Highlights:

• transition into recovery and getting communities back to some sort of sense of normalcy in operation post-event
• Improving disaster financial management, pre-event procurement and contracting tends to get our local
• And so if we have an event, for example, a good example would be a tornado event that we need to deploy
• That would be money that we're requesting in the event we don't receive our federal funding for one-time
• That would be money that we're requesting in the event we don't receive our federal funding for one-time

Summary: The committee held a budget hearing for the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management, with Director Annie Verst presenting the agency’s FY26/FY27 request and explaining the agency’s role in disaster response, recovery, preparedness, and mitigation. She said OEM remains a lean agency focused on coordinating resources for local governments, supporting recovery after disasters, and helping communities build resilience. She highlighted recent activity including wildfire response, multiple fire management assistance declarations, $83 million in public assistance payouts, use of the new state disaster revolving fund, and implementation of an Oklahoma resilient recovery strategy and ARPA-funded rural public safety grants. Verst emphasized uncertainty in federal funding and FEMA operations, saying hazard mitigation assistance has been canceled for the first time since 1988, some obligations were delayed under DHS’s “Defend the Spend” review, and the emergency management performance grant period was shortened before later being resolved. She said OEM has restructured by eliminating obsolete administrative work, repurposing positions to regional coordinators, ending warehouse leases, and assigning fleet vehicles more efficiently. Her budget request included $3.7 million to cover a possible loss of federal operating support, $1 million for a required state hazard mitigation plan update, $3.8 million for the state emergency fund to cover anticipated 12.5% state shares and replenish prior expenditures, and $800,000 for anticipated other-needs/temporary sheltering cost share. Members questioned her about Oklahoma Task Force One, the revolving fund, and whether OEM is shifting toward a response-focused agency. Verst said response remains local and OEM’s role is coordination, recovery, and mitigation, not replacing local emergency management. She explained Task Force One is used when local capacity is exceeded, is not currently funded by OEM for routine operations, and the revolving fund helps bridge reimbursement delays. She also said the hazard mitigation plan update would likely be done by an outside contractor or university partner. No votes were taken; the hearing ended after questions and thanks from the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a lot of outdoor events here. DHS calls people soft targets. I call them people.
• Drone Crucible is an event. The President has made this a high priority.
• The first one of these events, where we've demonstrated drone capability and...
• So this is really a military-driven allied nation event.
• So if there's an event, we know who to call. We know what their assets are.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security

Summary: The committee heard two presentations on domestic security. Deputy Commissioner David Binder of FDLE described the state’s domestic security structure, including FDLE’s coordination role, the fusion center system, regional task forces, and private-sector infrastructure partnerships. He emphasized the Domestic Security Oversight Council’s grant-ranking process and warned that federal homeland security funding has dropped sharply over time, with possible future cuts threatening fusion center analysts and other capabilities. Binder also focused on emerging threats, especially drones and counter-UAS issues, noting current legal limits on mitigation authority, concerns about tethered drones and drone use near correctional facilities and military sites, and the need for a turnkey solution if state or federal authority expands. He also highlighted FDLE’s cataloging of critical infrastructure sites through Florida Kicker and the growth of trusted private partners. Director Dave Kerner of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles then outlined the Florida Highway Patrol’s role in domestic security. He paid tribute to a fallen sergeant and discussed FHP’s structure, criminal interdiction work, border integrity and trafficking enforcement, dispatch and communications, aviation and drone use, and immigration enforcement under 287(g). Kerner said troopers have seized large amounts of narcotics and currency this year and have arrested thousands of unlawful immigrants. He also described FHP’s involvement in operations such as Lone Star, Vigilant Sentry, and Faithful Service, and said the agency is working toward expanded counter-UAS authority through federal discussions and Sergeant Dooley’s testimony. Members expressed support for both agencies, discussed the dangers and potential benefits of drones, and the committee adjourned without objection after no public testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Property to have an event. Absolutely. It's not limited to just the fairgrounds.
• If we forbid them from restricting firearms, we are undermining their ability to keep these events safe
• We are committed to upholding the level of security required to ensure the State Fair of Texas event
• The organizations holding these large publicly accessible events are blamed when something goes wrong
• The organizations holding these large publicly accessible events are blamed when something goes wrong

Bills: SB1065 , SB2117 , SB2217 , SB2363 , SB2533 , SB2742 , SB2743 , SB2881 , SB2964 , SB3013 , SB3014

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1065, which would require government property contracts to prohibit contractors from barring licensed handgun holders from carrying firearms on leased or owned public property, with civil penalties and attorney general enforcement for violations. Senator Hall and invited witnesses from the Texas State Rifle Association, NRA, and Texas Gun Rights argued the bill would close a loophole exposed by the State Fair of Texas gun ban and protect law-abiding Texans’ self-defense rights. Opponents, including Moms Demand Action/Everytown, said the bill would undermine event organizers’ ability to set site-specific safety rules and could increase liability and insurance costs. Public testimony was then closed and the bill was left pending. The committee next took up Senate Bill 2742, which would create civil penalties for independent school districts and officials who use public resources for electioneering, waive immunity defenses, and expand attorney general enforcement. Senator Hagan-Bood said current law bans the conduct but lacks meaningful penalties, making injunctions the only remedy. No public testimony was heard, and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2743, also by Senator Hagan-Bood, which would allow a court to disqualify local prosecutors who refuse to prosecute election offenses and appoint the attorney general to handle the case, with a committee substitute adjusting the removal process through an adjacent-county judge. Opponents from the Texas Civil Rights Project argued the bill would undermine prosecutorial discretion and was vague and open to abuse, while a Harris County election official described past instances where alleged voter fraud cases were not pursued. After testimony, public comment was closed and SB 2743 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the one sort of event-based fund that we do administer is the major events fund.
• So again, the only events we work are through the major events fund.
• And we're now doing economic development programming in all those events that used to just be events
• And we're now doing economic development programming in all those events that used to just be events
• It's done every year based on what events are... ...based on what events are.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee first heard the FY27 executive budget review for Louisiana Economic Development (LED). House Fiscal outlined a $59.4 million LED budget, with major funding from state general fund, self-generated revenue, federal funds, and a marketing dedication, and explained reductions tied largely to the removal of one-time funding and carryforwards. The Secretary highlighted recent economic development results, including major capital investment announcements, job creation, the high-impact jobs program, Louisiana Fast Sites, and efforts to support existing businesses and small business growth. Members repeatedly asked for clearer public-facing materials on the tax and economic benefits of incentives, the use of the entertainment development fund, the structure of the high-impact jobs and Fast Sites programs, and how LED competes with other states. LED also discussed its Storyteller Initiative, regional project distribution, and the role of major events and film-related incentives. The committee then reviewed Louisiana Works’ FY27 budget of $352.7 million. Staff explained that the budget is driven mainly by federal funds and statutory dedications, with changes largely attributable to the One Door to Work Act and the transfer of workforce functions and positions into the department. The Secretary noted a planned $5 million move for the Louisiana STEM Council and a small request for elevator repairs, and members discussed the unemployment insurance trust fund’s improved balance, which lowered employer tax rates and increased benefits. Questions focused on workforce shortages, coordination with LCTCS and other training partners, the new Louisiana Talent Accelerator and workforce modernization efforts, the need for marketing to attract workers back to Louisiana, and remaining gaps in funding for rehabilitation services and disability employment programs. Finally, the committee took up the Department of Conservation and Energy’s FY27 budget of $201.3 million. Staff described decreases tied to the end of the Solar for All grant, lower orphan well spending as prior balances were drawn down, and reductions in some one-time funding and interagency transfers. The Secretary said the department’s reorganization is now largely complete and emphasized a focus on eliminating duplicative functions, strengthening enforcement and permitting, and using available funds more efficiently. Members questioned the reduction in orphan well funding, the impact of the Solar for All repeal, the use of settlement dollars, and the department’s plans for AI-assisted permitting and modernization of the Sunrise database. They also discussed ongoing work on seismic activity in Red River Parish, commercial fishermen’s claims for gear damaged by energy infrastructure, and efforts to improve financial security requirements for operators so future orphan well liabilities are better covered.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> series of events are compared to ERIC. series of events are compared to ERIC.
• </c> another example from the April event. another example from the April event.
• , severe wind events, rainfall events, severe wind events, icing,<00:12:45.839><c> drought</c><00:12:
• And then we can start acting on that. impact events. And so you can go to our impact events.
• </c> living document and so is uh events living document and so is uh events happen<00:14:05.760><c>

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• spring events conference.
• </c> attendance at the map Stars uh events attendance at the map Stars uh events including<00:02:50.159
• </c> map Stars offers three Statewide events map Stars offers three Statewide events for<00:03:39.000
• </c><00:04:12.680><c> manual</c> and the spring conference events manual and the spring conference events
• </c><00:09:45.880><c> where</c> together for leadership events where together for leadership events where

Bills: HF1966 , HF54 , HF2043 , HF1171 , HF2741

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: HF1966, Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs, STARS program, alternative education, alternative programs, education finance, general fund appropriation, student support services, career readiness, employment skills, academic skills, social skills, student conferences, training grants, Minnesota Department of Education, specialized education, at-risk students, nontraditional education, HF54, Silver Lake

Transcript Highlights:

• IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLES ARE HIRING EVENTS.
• WE STARTED THESE MAJOR REGIONAL HIRING EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR INDUSTRY, I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT
• I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR HIRING EVENTS. THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
• WE WANT YOU TO COME WE HAVE 655 JOBSEEKERS ATTEND THESE ON-SITE HIRING EVENTS.
• YOU CAN SEE PHOTOS OF HOW INTERACTIVE THESE HIRING EVENTS ARE.

Transcript Highlights:

• It could be one event to the next.
• It could be one event to the next.
• We host over 700 events a year.
• </c> to all of the people working that event to all of the people working that event in<02:19:45.040>
• They make sure to set up the event.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services