Transcript Highlights:

• Or with the Secretary. area of state or these other organized events, I think where we we should look
• Members of the Legislature to attend an event at which... Your act is being read. No.
• The client may attend the general event, but he may not, depending on the event. depending on your ruling
• He may not even attend any VIP event if he's invited to it. It's just, it's sort of up in the air.
• He could attend maybe the VIP event, but just. in a general way and not actually have a sidebar.

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.

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
• And, you know, for the 2027 budget, do we have enough ongoing, like for another event or a possible event

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• I also put in here that we complete after-action reports after every event.
• The two types of events that you can have, and you're probably all familiar with a couple of them that
• The next thing I have to figure out is whether, after we have an event, we have over $700,000 worth of
• So early on in this event, I did that survey, and I got up to $30 million as an initial damage estimate
• So I work with State EMD to get a governor's proclamation for the event listing the counties and the

Summary: The Transportation Committee met for an organizational session and received a presentation from Washington State Department of Transportation and Washington State Ferries staff on recovery from the December atmospheric river storms. Committee members were introduced, and staff outlined a new process for submitting proviso and project requests through an online app, with members directed to work through their caucus policy staff. The chair also announced caucus meetings and noted staff changes for the session. WSDOT and WSF described emergency response operations, including statewide activations, damage assessment, and the use of emergency declarations to speed repairs. Staff explained how they pursue federal reimbursement through FHWA Emergency Relief and, separately, FEMA for debris removal, while noting that permanent repairs still require environmental clearances. They reported more than 50 emergency work orders, 16 emergency contracts, about 107 road sites closed at one point, and an initial damage estimate of roughly $30 million. Examples of storm damage and recovery included US 2 near Skykomish and Tumwater Canyon, US 12 near Naches, Highway 410, Highway 42 near Mount Baker, I-90 shoulder damage, and a major US 101 slope failure near Forks that will require longer-term geotechnical work. Members asked about environmental permitting, bridge impacts, flood coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, and whether emergency declarations allow broader actions; staff said the declaration mainly speeds stabilization and contracting, does not change tolling authority, and does not waive environmental requirements. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recent heat events have shown the same is true for extreme heat.
• During 2021, the heat dome, the deadliest weather event in state history, hundreds of people died, and
• It's tempting to think that the 2021 Heat Dome was just a freak event that's not likely to repeat.
• It's tempting to think that the 2021 Heat Dome was just a freak event that's not likely to repeat.
• My name is... next extreme weather event.

Bills: HB1974 , HB2265 , HB2452

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: land bank, land banking authority, affordable housing, housing crisis, housing supply, public corporation, public housing authority, nonprofit housing, tax-foreclosed property, blight remediation, redevelopment, anti-displacement, equity, redlining, racial segregation, deed restriction, affordability covenant, property tax exemption, excise tax exemption, predevelopment

Transcript Highlights:

• go out to each and every family who lost loved ones and to every community impacted by the tragic events
• and assets that we bring to respond to disasters across the state, such as the July 4th flooding events
• Our colonel will go into the details of Game Warden response to the recent flood. events.
• A rapid flood event happened at night while people were asleep.
• Hindsight is always 20/20, and sometimes we can't fully anticipate how events will unfold.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you guys working on or have the capacity to do future modeling for those types of rain events that
• are not, you know, these thousand-year events that are not contemplated in the FEMA flood maps?
• Uh, and you similar high wave events.
• ><c> thousand-year</c><00:23:12.480><c> events</c><00:23:12.720><c> that</c> know, these thousand-year
• events that know, these thousand-year events that are<00:23:13.120><c> not</c><00:23:13.600><c> contemplated

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard SB 657 SD1 HD1, which would appropriate funds for SOEST at UH Manoa to establish and operate a Center for Climate Resilient Development. Testimony was strongly in support from UH researchers, DLNR, and several other organizations. Supporters said the center’s modeling and data are already used by state and county agencies for sea level rise, shoreline setback, flood, and infrastructure planning, and that local funding is increasingly important because federal climate research funding is uncertain. Members discussed how the work might be framed to avoid federal political pushback, and witnesses said the research can be described in terms of infrastructure protection, public safety, and cost savings. They also confirmed the funding would primarily support salaries for climate modelers and would help backfill federal cuts. The committee recommended and adopted passage of the bill unamended. Members also discussed the practical value of the center’s work, including Kauai’s sea level rise constraint district, future rainfall and flooding modeling, and the need for more granular data than current FEMA maps provide. Additional support was noted from the State Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, the Ulu Pono Initiative, Surfrider Foundation, Hawaii Region Climate Protectors, Hawaii Coalition Earth, and the Climate Change and Health Working Group. The committee then voted to pass SB 657 SD1 HD1 as recommended. The committee later took up SB 1252 SD2, a bill requiring the Board of Regents to establish a specialized training program for health care providers on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias and appropriating funds. The chair explained that the HD1 version incorporated suggestions from the John A. Burns School of Medicine, added a preamble recognizing existing programs and the need for coordination, and left a blank appropriation and FTE count in the bill while including the amounts in the committee report. With no discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 1252 SD2 with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><01:40:02.000><c> our</c> enhance our downtown events, our enhance our downtown events, our economy
• </c> ability to advertise downtown events ability to advertise downtown events there<01:40:21.920><c>
• So the promote those kinds of events.
• So within the definition of that events.
• Many of these events and festivals you.

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Transcript Highlights:

• uh in the event of a violation.<00:06:20.480><c> And</c><00:06:20.600><c> then</c><00:06:20.760><c>
• <00:13:39.200><c> said</c><00:13:39.400><c> the</c><00:13:39.520><c> weather</c><00:13:39.800><c> events
• </c> of the like I said the weather events of the like I said the weather events last<00:13:40.560><c
• > language</c><00:14:00.040><c> to</c> >> Yeah, I just want to add that got a pretty nasty El Niño event
• </c><00:14:20.560><c> coming</c> got a pretty nasty El Nino event coming got a pretty nasty El Nino event

Bills: HB2241 , HB1163 , HB1514 , HB1696 , HB2021 , SB2135 , SB2466 , SB2727 , SB3082 , SB3097 , SB2861 , SCR100 , SB3096 , SB99 , SB2138 , HB2289 , HB2319 , HB1711 , HB2270 , SB3138 , SB3076 , HB1642 , HB2338 , HB2171 , HB1785 , SB2881 , HB2505 , SB2552 , HB1518 , HB1815 , SB3125 , SB3234 , SCR162 , SB2614 , SB3118 , SB2053 , SB2494 , SB2851 , SB3073 , HB1678 , HB1721 , HB2475 , HB2246 , HB1667 , HB1516 , SB2532 , SB3131 , SB3154 , HB2297 , HB1737 , SB2143 , SB2398 , SB2623 , HB1740 , HB1920 , HB1682 , SB2153 , SB3140 , HB2158 , HB1718 , HB2207 , HB1801 , SB3229 , SB2338 , SB3069 , SB2600 , HB2300 , HB1800 , HB1960 , SB2999 , SB2060 , SB2866 , SB2239 , HB1741 , HB1713 , HB2023 , HB2417 , SB2877 , SB2598 , SB2921 , SB2645 , HB2547 , HB2275 , HB2452 , HB2329 , HB2339 , HB1838 , HB1509 , HB1661 , HB2271 , HB2272 , HB2344 , HB1888 , HB1707 , SB2340 , HB2474 , HB1576 , HB1853 , HB1804 , HB1854 , HB2095 , HB2050 , HB472 , SB3215 , SB2247 , SB2400 , HB1618 , HB1802 , HB1969 , HB1541 , HB2310 , HB2498 , HB2443 , HB2218 , HB649 , HB2104 , HB1710 , SB2802 , HB1973 , HB1974 , HB1894 , HB1891 , HB1890 , SB177 , SB2101 , SB3320 , SB2487 , HB2429 , HB1870 , HB1839 , HB2583 , HB1391 , HB2094 , SB2671 , SB2673 , SB2892 , SB2057 , SB3245 , HB306 , HB2592 , SB3157 , SB3204 , SB3324 , SB2580 , SB2074 , SB411 , SB3025 , SB2934 , SB2567 , SB2125 , SB3238 , SB2367 , SB2599 , SB3007 , SB2001 , SB2756 , SB3029

Transcript Highlights:

• We started doing a rapid assessment of agricultural impacts from these types of events, and we've gotten
• We typically produce a preliminary report within several weeks of the event, and then we continue to
• collect information for several months after that, because often the producer... ...of the event, and
• We typically produce a preliminary report within several weeks of the event, and then we continue to
• collect information for several months after that, because often the producer of the event, and then

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Florida Senate Committee on Agriculture convened with a quorum present and heard two presentations. Commissioner Wilton Simpson, head of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, outlined department accomplishments and funding needs, including IT modernization, expansion of the Rural and Family Lands program, updated best management practice manuals, growth of the Fresh From Florida marketing campaign, hurricane recovery loans for farmers, clearing concealed-weapons permit backlogs, construction of the Conner Complex headquarters, forestry equipment upgrades, and youth agriculture programs such as FFA and 4-H. Senators asked about water policy, citrus greening, FAMU partnerships, staffing efficiencies, and interdiction stations used to stop invasive species, stolen goods, and diseased or banned agricultural products from entering the state. Dr. Krista Court of the University of Florida/IFAS presented a preliminary economic assessment of the 2024 hurricane season’s agricultural impacts from Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. She explained that the estimates are based on wind, rainfall, flooding, crop location, and survey data from extension agents, industry groups, FDACS, and producers, and that the figures do not include many asset losses, supply-chain effects, forestry losses, or some insurance-covered damages. Her preliminary estimates placed total 2024 agricultural production losses between about $402.3 million and $975.8 million, with the hardest-hit commodity groups including field and row crops, vegetables, melons, potatoes, greenhouse/nursery products, and animals and animal products. Members discussed the importance of accurate survey participation and baseline data, including use of USDA Farm Service Agency information, to improve future disaster estimates and federal relief decisions. Several senators emphasized agriculture’s importance in their districts and statewide. No bills were considered and no formal votes were taken; the only action was adjournment by motion of Senator Burton.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recent heat events have shown the same is true for extreme heat.
• During 2021, the heat dome, the deadliest weather event in state history, hundreds of people died, and
• Recent heat events have shown the same as true for extreme heat.
• It's tempting to think that the 2021 Heat Dome was just a freak event that's not likely to repeat.
• My name is... next extreme weather event.

Summary: The committee heard public hearing testimony on House Bill 2265, which would expand tenant protections during extreme heat. Staff explained that the bill would bar landlords from restricting portable cooling devices, require written notice of tenant rights and landlord immunity for tenant-installed devices, add a cooling duty under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, and prohibit sheriffs from physically evicting tenants during defined extreme heat periods. Representative Mena said the bill responds to the 2021 heat dome and is intended to address a gap in housing law, while committee members and the sponsor discussed unresolved questions about what “reasonably required” cooling means, how the eviction pause would work, and whether the bill could raise rents or create liability and operational burdens for landlords. Supporters, including climate, public health, tenant, and clean energy advocates, said extreme heat is a growing health threat and that renters need a right to cooling; opponents from multifamily housing, property management, and rental housing groups argued the bill is too vague, could effectively mandate costly cooling upgrades, create safety and insurance issues, and complicate eviction enforcement. The hearing also included testimony from landlords and housing providers who said the bill should be narrowed or amended, and from tenants and advocates who said it does not go far enough because it mostly permits tenant-installed cooling rather than requiring landlords to provide it. The committee then heard House Bill 1974, a proposed substitute authorizing land banks. Staff described the bill as allowing public corporations, housing authorities, and nonprofit corporations to acquire, hold, improve, lease, transfer, or dispose of property for affordable housing, with 30-year affordability requirements, annual reporting, tax exemptions, and priority transfer of certain tax-foreclosed properties. Vice Chair Hill said the bill was scaled back from earlier versions and is meant to create a flexible tool for turning difficult parcels into housing-ready land aligned with local housing plans. Testifiers from the Spokane Regional Land Bank, housing authorities, developers, youth shelter providers, and housing advocates supported the bill as a way to lower land costs, clear title issues, reduce displacement, and create a pipeline of permanently affordable housing. A counties representative also supported the concept but said they would like the grant program restored. One committee member raised a question about whether the tax-foreclosed property language could bypass the normal surplus distribution process, and staff said the provision is placed in the chapter governing properties that have already gone through foreclosure and auction, though the wording may need further review. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 2452, which would change how rent increase notices are served. Staff said the bill would remove the current requirement that rent increase notices be served like unlawful detainer notices and instead allow service by personal delivery, mail, or posting on the dwelling unit, with service by mail complete when deposited in the mail; the manufactured home version would follow the general notice rules under that act. Representative Connors said the bill responds to problems created when prior legislation required certified mail, which she said has led to tenants not receiving notices and housing providers facing higher costs and administrative burdens. Housing provider and industry witnesses supported the bill, saying certified mail is expensive, inefficient, and often not actually received, while tenant advocates opposed it, arguing that mail-only service weakens notice protections and can cause missed rent increases and displacement; they urged the committee to preserve stronger in-person or posting requirements. Some witnesses also suggested broader changes, including electronic notice, while others said the bill should be expanded to fix certified mail requirements for more than just rent increase notices.

Transcript Highlights:

• event, where the attendance exceeds 5,000 people.
• Larger events require a lot more law enforcement to be in the stadium or the arena where the event is
• Senator Pizzo, how much would a ticket to one of these events cost?
• Larger events require a lot more law enforcement to be in the stadium or the arena where the event is
• cost Senator Pizzo, how much would a ticket to one of these events cost?

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee took up a full agenda of criminal justice and related bills, beginning with SB 1180 on AI-generated sexual images. Senator Gates explained the bill was prompted by an Escambia County case involving deepfake pornography created from images of teenage girls, and a student victim testified in support. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. Members then approved SB 500, creating a Spectrum Alert system and related training for missing children with autism; SB 726, making swatting offenders liable for prosecution, investigation, and restitution costs; and SB 494, which would create a statewide animal abuse database, after extensive support testimony from shelters, law enforcement, and animal welfare advocates. SB 964, revising objective parole guidelines to account for rehabilitation and program participation, also passed after testimony from supporters of parole reform and compassionate release. The committee next approved SB 1344, a juvenile justice cleanup bill with a delete-all amendment that updated truancy, CINS, detention risk assessment, and other juvenile justice provisions. SB 468, increasing penalties for fleeing or eluding and allowing impoundment of involved vehicles, was reported favorably after limited opposition and support from law enforcement-related groups. SB 1136, increasing penalties for offenses involving minors and clarifying that ignorance of a victim’s age is not a defense, also passed after testimony from law enforcement supporters and two speakers opposed. SB 1660, on prostitution, drew the most extensive public comment: the sponsor said it was intended to distinguish trafficking victims from willing participants and shift penalties toward buyers and facilitators, while survivors, prosecutors, and advocates debated whether the substitute amendment would improperly criminalize prostituted persons; the committee ultimately adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 1828, making trespass at large ticketed events and certain secured locations a felony, with discussion focused on crowd control and public safety at major events. SB 1386, increasing penalties for assault and battery on utility workers and adding propane workers through an amendment, passed with broad support. SB 612, closing a loophole so minors who distribute deadly drugs like fentanyl can be charged with murder in certain cases, was reported favorably after testimony from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and opposition from civil liberties groups. SB 814, which would allow firearms on college campuses and at school-sponsored events, drew strong opposition from students and faculty and was reported unfavorably. Finally, the committee began SB 1604 on corrections with a delete-all amendment that addressed filing deadlines for DOC-related claims, execution-method language, tracking devices, involuntary treatment, and parole-related statutory cleanup; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

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:

• We now know the spike in entanglements was a one-time event.
• So how do these warming events typically affect our fisheries?
• I think it was 11 inches in the 2016 event.
• to event.
• And you take... ...much more frequency and intensity of these events.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture

Summary: The Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture held its annual Zeke Grader Fisheries Forum, focusing on the state of California fisheries and the environment. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and CDFW Marine Region Manager Dr. Craig Schumann described the sector as economically important but under pressure from drought, climate change, wildfire, warm oceans, and federal uncertainty. They highlighted progress under the state salmon strategy, including barrier removal, habitat restoration, flow protections, hatchery modernization, and technology improvements, while noting that salmon closures in recent years reflected the state’s driest period on record. Schumann reported 2025 commercial landings of about 217 million pounds worth $212 million, led by market squid, Dungeness crab, groundfish, and spiny lobster, and said the state’s marine protected area network had received international recognition. He also discussed salmon season openings, in-season management, hatchery release strategies, parentage-based tagging, kelp restoration planning, domoic acid closures, and expected future opportunities for rebuilt groundfish stocks such as yelloweye rockfish and cow cod. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Klamath River dam removal and salmon recovery. CDFW’s Crystal Robinson reviewed the project timeline, from the 2002 fish kill through dam decommissioning and full barrier removal in October 2024, and said fish returned to historic habitat within days. Yurok Chairman Joseph James, Karuk Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery, and Dr. Craig Tucker described the dam removal as a historic tribal and state partnership and emphasized that salmon are central to tribal culture, food, and sovereignty. They said the river is already showing recovery, including the return of spring-run Chinook above Upper Klamath Lake for the first time in over a century, but stressed that continued restoration, funding, and protection of cold-water tributaries like the Scott and Shasta Rivers are still needed. Speakers also raised concerns about federal efforts to reinterpret the Endangered Species Act and rewrite the Klamath irrigation biological opinion, and urged the state to remain actively involved. The committee discussed AB 263 and AB 2218, which relate to minimum stream flows and Indigenous water rights, respectively. Members also questioned the agencies about Sacramento River salmon management, Shasta Reservoir cold-water releases, enforcement capacity, and federal disaster funding delays. Crowfoot and Schumann said the Sacramento remains the state’s most important salmon river and that the Bay-Delta Plan update and hatchery and flow actions are critical to recovery. They said marine enforcement remains limited, with about 50 officers covering the 1,100-mile coastline, and relies on technology, federal partnerships, and public tips. The committee indicated it would follow up on the federal biological opinion rewrite and on salmon-related policy issues. The final panel addressed the 2026–27 Dungeness crab season outlook. CDFW’s Joanna Grable said the season will be shaped by the “four horsemen” of whales, domoic acid, meat quality, and fleet dynamics, and warned that warm ocean conditions and a possible strong El Niño could increase domoic acid risk and whale entanglement concerns. She said the department will likely take a conservative approach, including possible season delays or gear reductions, while using new tools such as crab evisceration authority. PCFFA Executive Director Lisa Damrosch argued that the fishery has been built too much on fear and litigation, but acknowledged that RAMP now provides a framework to avoid a repeat of the 2016 crisis while still protecting whales and supporting fishing communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are for producing the event itself.
• They do not reduce demand for high-demand events.
• They do not reduce demand for high-demand events.
• House attending more than 4,000 events.
• </c><00:35:03.280><c> they</c> people selling tickets to an event they people selling tickets to an event

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:

• </c> And we've also seen some recent events And we've also seen some recent events that<00:42:56.640>
• ><c> have</c> extreme cold weather events have extreme cold weather events have probably<00:54:09.119
• </c> that next extreme event. that next extreme event.
• And um events that have occurred.
• </c> is risk of the response time to events is risk of the response time to events like<01:07:30.559>

Bills: HF3296 , HF3802

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: energy conservation, data centers, electric sales, energy optimization, utility regulations, energy regulation, certificate of need, renewable energy, power production, energy efficiency, Minnesota statutes

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