Transcript Highlights:

• We have 31 locations, driver's license exam locations that we operate across the state.
• We ensured our locations were available. Some locations were open late, sometimes until 9 PM.
• We also had locations opening early, as early as 6 AM, and more locations open on Saturdays.
• And that's another really interesting story of our location in Woodward.
• All in the same place, all in the same location.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's currently is located.
• Minnesota's currently is located.
• Minnesota's currently is located.
• It's going to be displayed in a location or their courthouse in a prominent location, and I would urge
• location uh courthouse in a prominent location and<00:12:24.240><c> uh</c><00:12:24.399><c> I</c><00:

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the naming of a segment of Mississippi Highway 537 located in Jones County as the Sergeant John
• for a distance of approximately one mile in the southernly district to Doris Tanner Flowers located
• > Idawa</c><00:02:49.519><c> County,</c> Highway 370 located in Idawa County, Highway 370 located in
• 363 located in Idawa County,<00:03:10.239><c> Mississippi.
• Highway 537 located in Yazu County.

Committee: Joint Highways and Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Supporters say this lets voters decide, but ask them to permanently strip their own communities of the

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, the proposed constitutional amendment on property tax relief, which would reduce assessment growth on non-homestead property, expand homestead exemptions, create a new exemption for new homesteaders, and direct counties, cities, and school districts to use property tax revenues for specified core services. Senator Avila presented the measure as the governor’s plan to provide historic relief and argued that local governments should tighten budgets and prioritize core functions. Senators raised concerns about the lack of fiscal scoring, the breadth and ambiguity of the permitted uses, the effect on special districts and local services, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. The committee adopted several amendments, including Avila’s amendment clarifying that ad valorem revenues could be used for county and municipal operations and administration and other expenditures not prohibited by law, and Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal. Other amendments failed, including proposals to allow user fees and non-ad valorem assessments, add a sunset, redirect tourism development taxes, narrow the small-business provision, and change the ballot title to reference local service reductions. Grall’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund requirement was adopted, while the committee also rejected Berman’s title-change amendment and Smith’s sunset and tourism-tax amendments. The committee then returned to the bill as amended for questions, including extended debate over whether the proposal would affect noncitizen residents, the impact on local government finances, and whether local governments would respond with higher fees or special assessments. The meeting ended with the bill still under discussion after the final round of questions, with Avila saying he would continue working with the governor’s office on the language before the next vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:54:16.240><c> it</c><00:54:16.400><c> maybe</c> Trade secrets, and quite frankly, it may be a stripped-down

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we will get to about 990,000 locations we will get to about 990,000 locations again<00:42:05.599
• </c> again before we had our final locations again before we had our final locations so<00:42:07.480>
• So that's where the 81,000 locations comes into play. The 89,000 locations is the final list.
• </c> authority to select project locations authority to select project locations and<00:51:12.720><c>
• comes into into play the locations comes into into play the 89,000<00:52:24.200><c> locations</c><00

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• These locations...
• You could still combine those polling locations, so you don't have to have as many voting locations.
• can't check in at another location.
• They'll do the location selection.
• It's two ballots over here at this location. It's one ballot over here at this location.

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• We are the crisis center located in Laconia and serving Belknap County.
• </c><00:22:52.559><c> in</c> We are the crisis center located in We are the crisis center located in
• The perpetrator also fled to an unknown location after the assault was reported to law enforcement.
• It codifies survivors' rights to be informed of the status and location of their kit in state law.
• I cannot overstate the harm that HB 1740 would cause by stripping funding from these services.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1651, which would create a civil sexual assault protective order for survivors who do not have a domestic violence or stalking relationship with the offender, and would also update the sexual assault survivors’ bill of rights regarding evidence kit retention and tracking. Representative Jennifer Rhodes, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to fill gaps for survivors assaulted by strangers, acquaintances, or others outside existing protective-order categories, and to ensure evidence is preserved for the longer of the statute of limitations or the retention period. Committee members asked whether the new order could be misused and how the bill would prevent frivolous petitions; the sponsor said the same legal process would apply and a victim would still have to prove they were actually assaulted. Representative Eileen Kelly and Lynn Shallet of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence testified in support, saying current law leaves many sexual assault survivors without a meaningful civil remedy unless they qualify for domestic violence or stalking relief. Shallet said the gap has existed for decades and noted that other states already have standalone sexual assault protective orders. She also said the bill would clarify survivors’ rights to know the status and location of their evidence kits. Shauna Foster of New Beginnings Without Violence and Abuse described local cases where survivors were denied protective orders because they lacked the required relationship with the offender, including a co-worker assault and an assault involving an unhoused survivor. Lisa Curtis, a survivor and founder of Safe Haven Ballet, gave emotional testimony in support, describing her own sexual assault and the difficulty of seeking protection and justice. She said survivors need safety to recover and that the bill would better align the justice system with trauma-informed support. Janet Carroll, a sexual assault nurse examiner and advisory board co-chair, testified that the bill’s evidence-kit provisions reflect federal changes and existing tracking practices. She explained that New Hampshire uses a kit tracking system that lets patients and professionals follow kits through the process, and said the bill would codify the right to be informed of a kit’s status and location. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It might sound like a small change but in real lives means that if someone goes to the wrong location
• A vote center model would solve this by allowing voters to vote at any location.
• We have elders that need to come out of the mud, the muddy roads, to get to locations.
• We have elders that need to come out of the mud, the muddy roads, to get to locations.
• Locations and staff are already very scarce resources.

Summary: The Judiciary and Elections Committee approved the minutes from February 18, February 20, and March 4, 2026, then took up several measures while holding others in reserve. House Bill 2006, which would require counties without a USPS processing and distribution center to mail printed sample ballots 14 days before an election instead of 11, received support from the Association of Counties and passed on a 7-0 vote. House Bill 2167, which would impose liability on the Attorney General for certain public nuisance or consumer fraud actions that are dismissed or found meritless, drew opposition from some members who said it would interfere with the AG’s work, but it passed 4-3. The committee also discussed House Bill 2109, a hands-free driving bill that would increase penalties and expand the prohibition to watching or streaming video on a device; after extensive testimony and concerns about vagueness, dash cameras, CarPlay, navigation, and other in-car systems, the chair held the bill without prejudice for stakeholder discussions. The committee then heard House Concurrent Resolution 2016, which would send to voters a proposal to eliminate county vote centers and on-site early voting and require precinct-based polling places with a 2,500-voter cap per precinct. Testimony from voting rights groups, county officials, and rural and tribal representatives strongly opposed the measure, citing higher costs, more provisional ballots, longer lines, delayed results, and reduced access for voters in rural areas and on the Navajo Nation. County representatives asked for a delayed effective date, funding, a higher precinct cap, and a fallback option if precinct sites cannot be secured. After hearing the testimony, the chair announced the resolution would be held without prejudice until the following week to allow further stakeholder discussions with the sponsor.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> due to their location. That's correct. due to their location.
• </c> locations in the state of New Hampshire. locations in the state of New Hampshire.
• </c> locations that has SPFs. locations that has SPFs.
• </c> locations that have the SPF. locations that have the SPF.
• This location is within 500 feet.

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 497, a technical correction to last year’s capital budget. Shannon Reid of the Community College System of New Hampshire explained that the bill removes leftover state-agency boilerplate from a repurposed capital appropriation and replaces it with community college language, without changing any dollar amounts. She also described a requested amendment to rename a respiratory therapy renovation appropriation at Nashua Community College as an allied health instructional center, so the space can be used more flexibly for programs such as phlebotomy, radiologic technology, and LNA training. Terry Poff of the General Court then testified on the second part of the bill, which changes legislative space references to support the move of General Court offices from the second floor to the fourth floor of the annex as part of the legislative office building reconfiguration. Members asked whether the community college changes affected funding, and Reid confirmed the amounts do not change and that the bill simply speeds up a correction that otherwise would have been handled later in the lapse process. Poff said the annex space change is part of a permanent transition, though the work cannot proceed until the General Court has legal control of the space. The committee then entered executive session, adopted Amendment 1031H on a 12-0 vote, and voted ought to pass as amended on SB 497 by a 12-0 vote, with several members absent. The bill was placed on the consent calendar. The committee next opened a hearing on Senate Bill 529FN, which would give preference to lumber sourced in the United States on state-funded building projects. Representative Davis, introducing the bill for Senator Roachford, argued that New Hampshire timber is disadvantaged by grading rules that treat U.S. lumber differently from Canadian SPF lumber, even when the wood is from similar species and climates. He said the bill is intended to support New Hampshire’s timber industry and that architects and engineers would still be able to specify stronger materials when needed. Committee members questioned whether the bill should instead refer specifically to New Hampshire lumber, how it would be enforced, and what the cost impact would be. Davis and later witness Mike Olette said the issue is tied to industry grading standards rather than a government code, that the bill is meant to create a preference rather than a mandate, and that price differences are hard to pin down because lumber is a commodity. Olette, who lives near the border, testified that New Hampshire logs are often sent to Canada for milling and then return under a different grade, which he said puts New Hampshire loggers and mills at an economic disadvantage.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Rivian's model is to have locations where we are primarily a showroom, and then other locations where
• There will be sales locations. And then so. Locations.
• For every sales location in the state.
• There are a number of dealerships where they own multiple locations, including locations in different
• And my distinction earlier was that some locations currently show vehicles and other locations also have

Summary: The committee heard briefings and public testimony on three transportation bills. Substitute Senate Bill 6170 would raise WSDOT monetary thresholds for doing repairs in-house and for contracting work intended to support small, veteran-, minority-, and women-owned businesses, increasing the regular repair limit from $60,000 to $100,000, the emergency repair limit from $100,000 to $160,000 with annual inflation adjustment, and the contracting threshold from $100,000 to $160,000. The sponsor and WSDOT supported the bill as an efficiency measure; the fiscal note indicated no fiscal impact. Washington Federation of State Employees also supported it, saying the higher limits would let highway maintenance crews do more work in-house while preserving the existing work split with contractors. Substitute Senate Bill 6225 would authorize new and expanded transportation general obligation bonds, including $1.1 billion for highway projects in the Move Ahead Washington account, $400 million for listed highway projects with cost increases, and a $500 million increase to the SR 520 bond authorization, while also ending issuance of certain older unissued bond authorizations after June 30, 2026. Committee members asked about debt service, bond capacity, and how the money would be allocated; staff said the projects would be handled through the budget process and that the bill was intended to provide flexibility. Labor and business groups supported the bill as a way to fund preservation and maintenance and provide predictability, while Transportation Choices Coalition said any bonding should be limited and paired with broader transportation funding reforms and protection for multimodal programs. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6354 would allow certain qualifying U.S.-based battery electric vehicle manufacturers that have Washington service facilities and no prior franchise agreements to own and operate dealer licenses and sell directly, while also raising the dealer documentary service fee from $200 to $250 until the end of 2026 and directing part of the increase to an EV rebate program and the multimodal transportation account. Rivian and Lucid supported the bill as a compromise that would expand EV access and direct-sale options; Climate Solutions and the Port of Seattle also supported it, citing emissions reduction and affordability goals. Washington State Auto Dealers Association supported the compromise, saying it strengthens franchise protections while allowing limited direct sales. Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation opposed the bill, arguing it creates special treatment and weakens the franchise system, and some urged added consumer protections, service requirements, or bonding. The committee took no final action and closed the public hearings after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• This design study is going to give us information to look at both locations.
• as ideal locations based on the criteria from federal VA.
• of the future home located there on the property.
• this, because we looked at a very broad range of locations.
• Staff were already concerned about locations, travel distance, and et cetera.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs heard presentations on several military and veterans-related topics. Dr. Dan Calvert briefed the committee on the JBLM Sentinel Landscape Partnership, explaining its voluntary conservation work to reduce encroachment around the base by protecting prairie habitat, supporting agriculture, and managing sensitive species. He described REPI funding, recent and proposed projects, and possible policy support such as state designation, dedicated funding, management endowments, prescribed fire flexibility, and water-right transfer tools. Members asked about seed sourcing, the distinction between natural-resource encroachment and development-related encroachment, and the impact of federal REPI staffing cuts. David Puente of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs updated the committee on plans for a new state veterans cemetery in the Tri-Cities area and a replacement Spokane Veterans Home. He said the cemetery project has two candidate sites near Richland/West Richland, with pre-design funded by the legislature and a future request expected for land purchase and construction; he also noted the current cemetery funding source is limited and would not support a second cemetery without additional state operating funds. On the Spokane home, he described the current facility’s limitations and said the replacement would be a 120-bed, small-house model on a larger site, with the VA expected to cover 65% of construction costs if the state provides the match. He also reviewed agency budget reductions, including vacant positions, reduced outreach, cuts to counseling and wellness funding, and reduced support for veterans service organizations. Blue Star Families’ Puget Sound chapter also presented on its programs for military-connected families, including Coffee Connects, a children’s book club, outdoor programming, career support, and Blue Star Welcome Week. The group said it is expanding beyond the South Sound and is using local outposts and online networks to reach more families, while also helping with food insecurity through grocery gift cards and partnerships with local nonprofits. Committee members discussed the need to expand the organization statewide and the ongoing food-security challenges facing military families. During the final discussion on potential legislation, members raised ideas including restoring Washington National Guard retention efforts, expanding E-CAP eligibility to military families, revisiting the composition of the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee, and addressing veterans’ preference issues for service members who have not yet received a DD-214. The committee did not take any formal votes or actions, but members and presenters discussed future policy and budget requests, and the chairs thanked the presenters and staff before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> them to transfer it uh from one location them to transfer it uh from one location to<01:00:07.039
• locations.
• to a retail location.
• </c><01:14:42.639><c> you're</c><01:14:42.719><c> not</c> location to a retail location you're not location
• </c><01:15:14.840><c> right</c> bad or expire at various locations right bad or expire at various locations

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• At the green locations, there is no risk at all. At the yellow locations, there is some low risk.
• risk locations that were identified through this tour.
• Some of the facility locations, so here I'm talking about like grain elevator locations, grain storage
• facility locations, in their current model are not accurate, meaning the locations of them aren't specifically
• location is going to be able to handle it.

Committee: Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 35,000 locations were that we do.
• </c><00:10:12.959><c> across</c> spot checks of 35,000 locations across spot checks of 35,000 locations
• Um but if it is something locations.
• </c> certainly want to get those locations certainly want to get those locations signed<00:14:36.160>
• Again, you know the old adage: location, location, location.

Bills: HF3508 , HF3548 , HF3549

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: dairy assistance, agriculture, investment, relief initiative, farm support, farm assistance, down payment, state funding, loan modification, grain indemnity, financial security, crop insurance, Minnesota agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• And then other locations where we also provide sales...
• There will be sales locations. And then, so... ...locations.
• And then, so we can go into a sales location to buy a new Rivian.
• There are a number of dealerships where they own multiple locations, including locations in different
• And my distinction earlier was that some locations currently show vehicles and other locations also have

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> tier 1A and tier 1B areas, and locations tier 1A and tier 1B areas, and locations that<00:17:49.880
• </c> those individuals in sensitive locations those individuals in sensitive locations where<00:29:09.320
• </c> the premises of the following locations. the premises of the following locations.
• </c> newly added locations. newly added locations.
• </c><01:00:00.440><c> from</c> have protected these locations from have protected these locations from

Transcript Highlights:

• AS YOU CAN SEE OVER 1200 LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN ALREADY CONNECTED THROUGH THIS FUND.
• ENCOMPASSING THOSE HUNDRED 2000 LOCATIONS THAT YOU REMAIN UNCERTAIN AND UNDERSERVED.
• IT'S IMPORTANT WE ALL DO THE PROCESS REQUIRED FOR LOCATING FACILITIES BEFORE WE START DIGGING, THAT'S
• BUT THAT LOCATING IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HELPS PREVENT A DISRUPTION, A FIBER, WHICH CAN BE
• TODAY AT&T FIBER IS AVAILABLE IN FLORIDA IN MORE THAN 2.6 MILLION LOCATIONS.

Transcript Highlights:

• This design study is going to give us information to look at both locations.
• as ideal locations based on the criteria from federal VA.
• of the future home located there on the property.
• this, because we looked at a very broad range of locations.
• Staff were already concerned about locations, travel distance, and et cetera.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs heard presentations on several military- and veterans-related topics. Dr. Dan Calvert briefed the committee on the JBLM Sentinel Landscape Partnership, explaining that it works through voluntary, non-regulatory cooperation with landowners to reduce encroachment around the base by conserving prairie habitat, supporting agriculture, and limiting incompatible development. He described REPI funding, recent and pending conservation projects, and possible policy supports such as state designation, a dedicated funding stream, management endowments, prescribed fire flexibility, and water-rights transfer tools. Members asked about seed sourcing, the distinction between natural-resource encroachment and development-related encroachment, and the impact of federal REPI staffing cuts. Washington Department of Veterans Affairs Director David Puente and Deputy Director Solomon Gilbert updated the committee on a proposed state veterans cemetery in the Tri-Cities area and the Spokane Veterans Home replacement project. For the cemetery, they said the VA has identified a need within a 75-mile radius, the agency has two candidate parcels in Richland/West Richland, and a state-funded pre-design study is underway; they also noted future operating costs will likely require general fund support because the Armed Forces license plate fund is limited. On the Spokane home, they described plans for a 120-bed, small-house-model facility on a 42-acre site near the VA medical center, with improved privacy, outdoor space, memory care potential, and better staffing retention. They also reviewed budget reductions affecting outreach, counseling, and veteran service organizations, and answered questions about wellness services, adult day health care, and cemetery operations. Blue Star Families Puget Sound Executive Director Megan Barnes described the chapter’s family-support programs, including Coffee Connects, a children’s book club, outdoor cohorts, resume workshops, and Blue Star Welcome Week events. She said the organization is focused on belonging and connection for military families and is using its online network and local outposts to expand beyond the South Sound. Members raised concerns about food insecurity among military families, and Barnes said the group is seeing increased need and is distributing grocery gift cards and coordinating with food banks and partner nonprofits. In the closing discussion, members previewed possible legislation for the upcoming session, including a bill to restore the Washington National Guard retention strategy, a proposal to expand military family eligibility for E-CAP early learning, a bill to update the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee composition, and a concept to allow transitioning service members to access veterans’ preference in hiring before receiving a DD-214. Senator Conway also asked for a formal report on state and federal cuts affecting veterans services, and the committee adjourned after thanking staff and presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Eliminating vote centers increases the likelihood that voters will go to the wrong location and have
• A vote center model would solve this by allowing voters to go to any location.
• We have elders that need to come out of the mud, the muddy roads, to get to locations.
• We have elders that need to come out of the mud, the muddy roads, to get to locations.
• Locations and staff are already very scarce resources.

Bills: HB2006 , HB2085 , HB2109 , HB2167 , HB2205 , HB2410 , HCR2016

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Elections

Keywords: sample ballots, elections, primary election, general election, mailing deadline, ballot mailing, county election officials, board of supervisors, secretary of state, early voting list, election administration, voter information, postal service, USPS processing center, city elections, town elections, special district elections, Arizona election law, ballot proofing, party chair