Transcript Highlights:

• If you require assistance in registering or testifying, please contact committee staff.

Bills: SB12, SB226, SB413, SB1049, SB1191, SB2398, SB571, SB2920, SB 12

Keywords: parental rights, education, social transitioning, diversity, equity, inclusion, school policy, student clubs, residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, school boards, transparency, public meetings, attendance, recording, released time, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• disabilities assistance property tax levy.
• I know that there has been some state and federal assistance.
• We're looking for assistance.
• state financial assistance on a formula basis for construction costs.
• financial assistance on a formula basis. also known as SCAP, provides state financial assistance on

Bills: SB6294, SB6211, SB5650, SB6033, SB6297, SB6343, SB6067, SB6082, SB6323, SB6324, SB5862, SB5923, SB6151

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on several bills, beginning with Substitute Senate Bill 6026, which would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, with limits on requiring mixed-use or ground-floor retail and some height flexibility where such requirements are imposed. Committee staff described the bill as governor-request legislation with a fiscal note for Department of Commerce implementation and local zoning updates. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck testified in strong support, calling it a major housing bill that would add needed capacity without burdening housing with retail requirements. The committee then suspended the hearing and moved to other bills on the agenda. Senate Bill 6294 drew extensive testimony. Staff said it would expand local fiscal tools in eight parts, including broader uses for certain REET revenues, a new option for cities to impose the affordable housing REET with voter approval, a county utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded uses for existing housing sales tax revenues, possible standalone county veterans and behavioral health levies, longer voter-authorized levy lid lifts, and expanded uses for rental car tax revenue. Supporters from cities, counties, housing, and public health groups said the bill would provide needed flexibility for housing, child care, public health clinics, and county budgets. Opponents, including wireless, water and sewer, auto dealer, realtor, and energy industry representatives, objected to the county utility tax, the new sales tax, or the REET provisions, citing regressivity, higher costs, and housing affordability concerns. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a Department of Commerce grant program funded by a surcharge on covered tech platforms, with revenue also supporting the Murrow Journalism Fellowship at Washington State University. News organizations, civic groups, and journalism advocates testified that local news is in decline and that the bill would help preserve reporting jobs and community accountability, while technology industry representatives warned of legal risks and argued the bill unfairly targets online platforms. Other bills heard included SB 6211, which would let voluntarily planning GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; SB 5650, which would authorize local cannabis excise taxes, drawing support from local governments and opposition from cannabis businesses that said the industry is already overtaxed; SB 6033, which would waive penalties and interest for certain taxpayers who failed to collect new retail sales tax on services, supported by small business advocates; SB 6297, which would exempt temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health entities from sales tax, supported by behavioral health providers; and SB 6343, which would extend and expand tax relief for property damaged by natural disasters, with support from local officials in flood-affected communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• We faced a tragic death in 2022 of Assistant Chief James Scanlon, or Jimmy, I called him.
• <c> 2022</c> We faced a tragic death in 2022 We faced a tragic death in 2022 of<00:10:26.000><c> Assistant
• <c> Chief</c><00:10:26.880><c> James</c><00:10:27.240><c> Scanlon</c><00:10:27.920><c> or</c> of Assistant
• Chief James Scanlon or of Assistant Chief James Scanlon or Jimmy,<00:10:28.520><c> I</c><00:10:28.640

Bills: HF4371, HF4317, HF2817, HF3496, HF4151, HF3826, HF4425, HF3990

Keywords: HF4371, Minnesota background checks, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Office of the Legislative Auditor, Legislative Auditor, criminal history records, national criminal history record information, public safety, statutory amendment, section 299C.76, requesting agency, state audit, oversight, background screening, criminal records, county agencies, MNsure, Department of Revenue, Department of Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> from</c><00:09:29.160><c> the</c> This is technical assistance from the This is technical assistance
• Or the gentleman who's in assisted living who didn't get assistance, who suffocated to death.
• We are required to assist our people.
• </c> Or the gentleman who's in assisted Or the gentleman who's in assisted living living living who<00
• who</c> who didn't get assistance, who who didn't get assistance, who suffocated<00:42:32.680><c> to<

Bills: HF4491, HF4338, HF4288, HF4566

Keywords: Medical Assistance, Medicaid, prepayment review, claims review, fee-for-service, provider integrity, high-risk provider, high-risk service, fraud prevention, program integrity, Department of Human Services, CMS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, health care billing, medical claims, provider enrollment, Indian Health Service, Minnesota Statutes chapter 256B, human services, medical assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, the bill establishes the Arizona Midwifery Advisory Committee to assist the...
• So, I'm sorry, Chandler, so we did not pursue the physician assistant one?
• House Bill 2190 adopts the physician assistant licensure compact to allow physician assistants to obtain
• assistants to obtain licensure in other compact states.
• And so it's just a way to try to get information so we can provide better assistance.

Bills: HB2190, HB2202, HB2233, HB2251, HB2252, HB2396, HB2437, HB2689, HB2796

Keywords: physician assistants, licensure compact, medical services, multistate practice, patient care access, healthcare workforce, military families, adverse actions, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, HB 2233, rural health transformation, rural health transformation program, AHCCCS, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Joint Legislative Budget Committee, JLBC

Transcript Highlights:

• assistance programs for medical assistance.
• and child care in the medical assistance and child care assistance<00:20:38.840><c> programs</c><00:
• 20:39.840><c> for</c><00:20:40.039><c> medical</c> assistance programs for medical assistance programs
• ><00:20:42.919><c> in</c><00:20:43.240><c> federal</c> assistance this is already in federal assistance
• </c> divisions uh which is uh Metro Transit divisions uh which is uh Metro Transit um<00:53:42.119><c

Bills: HF1379, HF1596, HF2260, HF1429

Keywords: nonopioid directive, opioid refusal, opioid-free care, pain management, health care directive, advance directive, patient autonomy, informed consent, substance use disorder, opioid epidemic, prescriber immunity, provider liability, emergency medical services, EMS, health record, Minnesota Department of Health, health care agent, medical power of attorney, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota government data practices

Transcript Highlights:

• That is in here and caught assistance.
• </c><00:12:59.040><c> with</c> regarding third-party assistance with regarding third-party assistance
• </c><00:15:59.280><c> from</c> based on some technical assistance from based on some technical assistance
• /c> financial assistance manager with financial assistance manager with Western<01:03:25.800><c> Prairie
• </c> for all medical assistance enrollees. for all medical assistance enrollees.

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• So in the House Bill 2, there's an earmark for money for child care assistance program for that career
• of reforms that people were looking at to lessen the need for school-age kids to need child care assistance

Bills: SB152, SB145, SB190, HB247

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• believe the kind of the limit is that like 10,000 for the cities and towns as far as being able to assist

Bills: HB2993, HB3850, HB3595, HB3763, HB3760

Keywords: rural law enforcement, grant fund, public safety, financial assistance, coordination districts, grant funding, law enforcement coordinators, municipal assistance, education, inmates, literacy, high school equivalency, Department of Corrections, parole, rehabilitation, HB3595, Safer Counties Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, county grants, traffic barrier equipment

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's do your bill first, 152, uh, telecom assistance program.
• This bill will authorize $10 million for affordability through the low-income telecommunications assistance
• This modernizes the low-income telephone assistance program to the low-income telecommunications assistance
• The number of households receiving assistance from the low-income telecommunications program pursuant
• Item six is to ensure the new executive administration has an appropriate transition.

Bills: SB152, SB145, SB190, HB247

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• this updates that language so we could screen for any charge, felony or misdemeanor, so we can also assist

Bills: HB2993, HB3850, HB3595, HB3763, HB3760

Keywords: rural law enforcement, grant fund, public safety, financial assistance, coordination districts, grant funding, law enforcement coordinators, municipal assistance, education, inmates, literacy, high school equivalency, Department of Corrections, parole, rehabilitation, HB3595, Safer Counties Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, county grants, traffic barrier equipment

Transcript Highlights:

• Child care assistance is a public assistance program. It's forecasted.
• Grants are managed differently than public assistance programs.
• Child care assistance is a public assistance program. It's forecasted.
• </c><01:24:12.600><c> program</c> within the child care assistance program within the child care assistance
• </c> program or the child care assistance program or the child care assistance program<01:36:11.440><

Bills: HF1, HF1384

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Bills: HF3475, SF3832, HF3508, HF3917, HF3404, HF3593

Keywords: agriculture, education, leadership council, compensation, research institute, dairy assistance, investment relief, agriculture support, food production, economic relief, investment, relief initiative, farm support, medication repository, drug donation, healthcare, Minnesota Statutes, pharmacy, public health, controlled substances

Transcript Highlights:

• When funding changes during the academic year, a student can lose assistance or fall short on tuition
• So I think that this is a smart self-reinforcing funding mechanism trying to assist our graduate and
• We need these future teachers, physicians, assistants, nurses, medical doctors, and environmental researchers
• and requires institutions to be good stewards of student data, keep the information they need to assist

Bills: HB2148, HB2132

Keywords: education, pay it forward program, tuition, student loans, financial aid, state financial aid, financial aid application, postsecondary education, higher education, student aid, Washington Student Achievement Council, public records exemption, privacy, student records, personally identifying information, financial information, data sharing agreement, enrollment assistance, institutional records, FERPA

Summary: The committee first held a work session on higher education funding and enrollment, with OPR staff Kate Henry reviewing Washington’s public higher education system, enrollment trends, tuition policy, financial aid programs, and funding sources. Members asked questions about FTE versus headcount, tuition changes, financial aid eligibility, and how the Workforce Education Investment Account and Opportunity Pathways funds are used to support Washington College Grant and College Bound awards. Henry explained recent policy changes, including Senate Bill 5785’s effects on award formulas, and noted that tuition, state appropriations, and financial aid are closely linked. Committee members also requested additional data on student-to-staff ratios and cost-of-attendance figures by institution. The committee then heard House Bill 2148, which would create a “Pay It Forward” program for graduate students. The bill would provide tuition support for up to four years, with recipients later making income-based contributions for up to 15 years to fund future students. The prime sponsor argued the bill was needed because federal changes would reduce access to graduate and professional loans, especially in fields like nursing, teaching, public health, and physical therapy. Testimony from students and advocates was strongly supportive, emphasizing workforce shortages, reduced federal aid, and the need for a revolving public funding model. Members asked about interest, caps, repayment terms, and how the program would be capitalized. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2132, which would limit disclosure and retention of personally identifying and financial information from WASFA applications. The bill would exempt such information from public disclosure, restrict retention to one year after the award year absent an audit or appeal, and limit sharing with outside entities except as required by law or court order. The sponsor said the bill is intended to reduce unnecessary long-term storage of sensitive student data and improve privacy and data security. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, especially from student and immigrant-advocacy groups, who said the bill would protect undocumented and mixed-status students and increase trust in the financial aid process. Some members raised concerns about whether shorter retention could affect future immigration or residency documentation, and the sponsor responded that students can keep their own records and that other proof of enrollment or graduation would remain available. The committee took no votes and adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please contact committee staff, just wave your hand if necessary, if you guessed Basically need some assistance
• That assistance means helping kids without support systems get connected to financial aid. financial
• A homeless liaison could have helped me with emergency housing, helped connect me with rental assistance
• Housing and supports are key components to ensure a young person is set up to thrive as they transition
• I frequently receive calls from former students who need assistance with tasks like obtaining a letter

Bills: HB232

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, if you guessed, uh, basically need some assistance in doing so.
• That assistance means helping kids with support systems get connected to financial aid opportunities,
• transportation services, and other resources they need to succeed in school and transition into college
• A homeless liaison could have helped me with emergency housing, helped connect me with rental assistance
• Housing and supports are key components to ensure a young person is set up to thrive as they transition

Bills: HB232

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

Transcript Highlights:

• Motor vehicle sales tax: 60% of the total revenue goes to HUT, the other 40% goes to transit.
• in total that is the 40% goes to transit in total that is the single<00:04:26.919><c> biggest</c><00
• the Met Council for the Twin Cities metro area transit and MnDOT for greater Minnesota transit.
• the Met Council for the Twin Cities metro area transit and MnDOT for greater Minnesota transit.
• </c><00:21:02.760><c> funding</c><00:21:03.280><c> Gap</c> such a thing as a Transit funding Gap such

Bills: HF1167, HF1242

Keywords: Northern Lights Express, NLX, Minneapolis-Duluth rail, passenger rail, intercity passenger rail, high-speed rail, Duluth, Minneapolis, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, transportation funding, rail appropriation, general fund, trunk highway fund, rail project cancellation, infrastructure spending, commercial driver training, CDL, financial assistance

Transcript Highlights:

• Medical assistance is the way that we institute Medicaid, which comes from the federal government.
• ><c> medical</c><00:46:44.839><c> assistance</c><00:46:45.440><c> is</c> different things medical assistance
• is different things medical assistance is the<00:46:45.800><c> way</c><00:46:46.040><c> that</c><00:
• So I remember when medical assistance, or Medicaid, was expanded under Obamacare to cover people who
• The Legislative Assistant will take the roll. Chair Backer? Vice Chair Nadeau? Chairman?

Bills: HF10, HF27

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, permit to carry, concealed carry, handgun permit, firearm permit, pistol training, sheriff, application process, electronic filing, mail application, fax submission, certified mail, certified delivery, gun rights, Second Amendment, firearms regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes a little bit for transition.
• particularly where maybe we have shortages in daycares that are short on staff or senior living assisted
• </c><01:10:01.400><c> locations</c><01:10:02.000><c> are</c> senior living assisted locations are senior
• living assisted locations are short<01:10:02.400><c> on</c><01:10:02.560><c> staff.
• </c><01:17:28.560><c> are</c> and health care and transit are and health care and transit are happening

Bills: HF4213, HF4198, HF3930, HF3585, HF3451

Keywords: education finance, school funding, K-12, prekindergarten, pre-K, early childhood education, general education aid, special education, literacy aid, school meals, free school meals, school breakfast, school lunch, charter school lease aid, charter schools, nonpublic pupil aid, private school aid, transportation aid, desegregation aid, integration aid

Transcript Highlights:

• My assistant was rushing to get it over here, and it is a statement that disproves some testimony that
• Allowing them to recover fees enhances their capabilities to assist in the enforcement of congressionally

Bills: SB1092, SB1094, SB1139, SB1239, SB1240, SB1248, SB1326, SB1502, SB1512, SB1540, SB1616, SB1635, SB1669, SB1673

Keywords: probation, dangerous crimes, children, Arizona Revised Statutes, criminal justice, juvenile offenses, rehabilitation, gender reassignment, civil liability, minors, medical consent, detransition, family court, therapeutic intervention, expert testimony, parenting time, child development, sex offenders, statute of limitations, prosecution