Transcript Highlights:

• The city of Rio Dell provides a very good example of why we may want to be thinking about a state program
• , by our state programs.
• Most are not incorporated cities, so they don't have a city council.
• The funding for the pilot program for the three-year pilot program is $15.15 million.
• The funding for the pilot program for the three-year pilot program is $15.15 million.

Summary: The Emergency Management Committee met to adopt its rules and hear a series of disaster- and public safety-related bills. Several measures were placed on consent and approved, including bills sending items to Appropriations, Natural Resources, Judiciary, Labor and Employment, and Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. AB 262, by Assembly Member Caloza, proposed a California Individual Assistance Act to create a state grant program for disaster-related costs when federal aid is unavailable; supporters cited Rio Dell’s earthquake recovery as an example, while some members raised concerns about eligibility, cost, and whether the bill could aid undocumented residents. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 4-2 vote. AB 549, by Assembly Member Gabriel, would create an interagency coordination framework for major sporting events such as the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics, with supporters emphasizing public safety and anti-trafficking planning. An opposition witness argued the bill could be used to justify prostitution arrests and misuse trafficking funds, but the committee members largely supported the coordination concept, and the bill passed 6-0 to Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism. AB 270, by Assembly Member Petrie-Norris, would establish a three-year pilot for autonomous aerial firefighting helicopters overseen by the Orange County Fire Authority; supporters described it as a way to extend wildfire response into conditions where crewed aircraft are limited, and the bill passed 6-0 to Privacy and Consumer Protection. Later, AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, sought to require Ventura County water districts in high fire-risk areas to top off tanks during red flag warnings, maintain backup generators, and harden critical water infrastructure. Water agencies opposed the bill unless amended, citing cost, flexibility, and liability concerns, while the author argued the requirements were necessary after failures during the Thomas Fire; it passed 6-1 to Utilities and Energy. AB 615, by Assembly Member Davies, required emergency response plans to be submitted with initial applications for battery energy storage and other energy facilities and to be reviewed with local responders; it passed 7-0 to Utilities and Energy. AB 1075, concerning privately contracted firefighters, also passed on consent to Natural Resources. Finally, AB 1143, by Assembly Member Bennett, would create a voluntary statewide home hardening certification program through the State Fire Marshal; supporters called it a best-practices approach to reduce wildfire losses and insurance risk, and it passed to Natural Resources. The committee then completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned after all bills were moved out.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2495 addresses the removal of vehicles by certain cities when obstructing the operation of
• They assume any additional expenditures to implement the program will be offset by the impound fees.
• Hey, my name is Alison Redenz, and I am the City of Seattle Streetcar Program Manager.
• We're a small dealership.
• We are a small dealership.

Bills: HB2467, HB2495, HB2552

Keywords: HB 2467, fifth-wheel travel trailer, fifth wheel trailer, travel trailer, RV, recreational vehicle, trailer length, vehicle length limits, oversize vehicle, truck and trailer, tractor-semitrailer, semi-trailer, kingpin, Washington RCW, Department of Transportation, WSDOT, highway safety, commercial trucking, towing, motor home

Transcript Highlights:

• Of those 88 cities, I represent seven of those eight communities, and they're all small cities.
• It really, really has to do with our small cities.
• We are dealing with these issues, but we have to address this from a budget angle so small cities feel
• And I look forward to being in that space too, because small cities—I'm sorry, big cities are important
• and they're critical to this solution, but small cities cannot be forgotten.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• And I want to talk about the impact of HB 1 on those programs on page 2 those two major programs for
• The last area is seaport connectivity program that program has been around for a while.
• SWIFT program is oversubscribed.
• We used two programs. One, the Water Loan Assistance Program.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the emergency bridge loan program is a $50,000 emergency bridge loan that's awarded to our small businesses
• Since 2019, we've awarded $200 million through this program to 4,800 small businesses.
• So, working with our Small Business Development Center partners, we've been able to implement a program
• So we also have, for example, our SSBCI program, State Small Business Credit Initiative, $167 million
• , State Small Business Credit Initiative, $167 million available in that program where we want to provide

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

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a small animal veterinarian.
• I'm a Tacoma city council member.
• Toronto's their main city.
• If I'm permitted to follow up: So what we did during our food box program, we're a small company.
• When it initially started, we were two..." "...during our food box program, we're a small company.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on several health-related bills. House Bill 1904 would prohibit cat declawing except for therapeutic purposes, with staff explaining definitions, fines, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The prime sponsor and animal welfare advocates described declawing as cruel and linked it to pain and behavior problems, while the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association supported the substance of the bill but asked to remove the added reporting and disciplinary provisions as redundant and burdensome. House Bill 2211 would provide guidance for medically tailored meals under existing Medicaid-related nutrition supports, including standards for Washington-based nonprofit providers where possible, menu review, and nutrition requirements. The sponsor said it would clarify implementation without expanding the program, and supporters from meal providers, food distributors, and local farms said it would improve health outcomes, keep dollars local, and support Washington jobs and agriculture. House Bill 2329 would allow licensed midwives to delegate certain tasks to medical assistants and to supervise medical assistants, with the sponsor and birth center operators saying it would fix an omission in current law and help rural and under-resourced birth centers operate more efficiently. Supporters said it would improve staffing and financial stability, while the sponsor indicated the lactation consultant language would likely be removed because those consultants are not regulated by the Department of Health. The committee then returned to House Bill 1904 for additional testimony from humane organizations, veterinarians, shelter leaders, and local officials, all supporting a ban on declawing and emphasizing animal pain, shelter impacts, and available alternatives. House Bill 2247 would expand and clarify veterinary telehealth and veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules, allowing a VCPR to be established in certain telehealth circumstances and setting guardrails for consent, practice standards, and when in-person exams are still required. Supporters from shelters, animal welfare groups, mobile clinics, and veterinarians said telehealth would improve access in rural and underserved areas, reduce shelter intake, and help animals receive care sooner; the veterinary association supported the bill with amendments to clarify recordkeeping and access-to-care findings. House Bill 2339 would update nursing license terminology and processes for advanced registered nurse practitioners, including title changes, controlled substance rules for CRNAs, transcript submission, and interim permits. Nursing board and ARNP representatives supported the technical updates, while the hospital association and medical association raised concerns about title language for clinical nurse specialists and the deletion of a reference to the medical profession. Finally, House Bill 2106 would require health carriers to give 90 days’ notice of significant mid-contract payer modifications and provide the actual modification language, with the sponsor and hospital and provider representatives saying insurers are increasingly making unilateral changes that affect payment, services, and patient access. UW Medicine and a rural hospital district described examples where insurers changed imaging or preventive service coverage mid-contract, causing financial losses and forcing difficult choices about network participation. Carriers were noted as opposing the bill, while providers and facilities argued it would improve transparency and prevent one-sided contract changes that disrupt care.

Transcript Highlights:

• of small wineries.
• </c> such as that rather than this program. such as that rather than this program.
• </c> program and taxes payable year 2024. program and taxes payable year 2024.
• </c> program has achieved its objective. program has achieved its objective.
• tax deferment programs.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of Jefferson City High School.
• Louis City, Kansas City, I'm sure other places across the state, we have a ton of unregistered vehicles
• Louis, City, Kansas City, I'm sure, other places across the state, we have a ton of unregistered vehicles
• The lady from the city of St.
• And so let's say it's a city...

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program flexibility.
• A lot of cities don't understand what this is, or counties.
• to the next city thought about those particular microschools.
• also be part of the semester program and that the curriculum, the program, was not approved.
• Same exact thing for the engineering program, a leading national program.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:41.040><c> thank</c> million to continue the program thank million to continue the program
• Yeah, so a grant program under ADC, they could administer a grant program.
• </c><00:16:42.040><c> the</c> responsibility this grant program the responsibility this grant program
• </c> program or the cover crop pilot program program or the cover crop pilot program exist<00:19:36.679
• It's going to impact Hawaii and a lot of these programs, uh, healthy soils conservation programs.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• down to Nogales, I'm always amazed at the interconnection of this small city and our state and national
• So that severely impacts our ability to expand and provide other training programs or educational programs
• And these training programs aren't cheap by any means.
• It's a three-semester program, and we said, well, can we cut that down and make it a two-semester program
• Well, just a small closing comment on this topic.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Of those 88 cities, I represent seven of those eight communities, and they're all small cities.
• It really, really has to do with our small cities.
• to this solution, but small cities cannot be forgotten.
• And I look forward to being in that space to because, you know, small cities, I'm sorry, big cities are
• important and they're critical to this solution, but small cities cannot be forgotten.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that in your own city, cities is a surprise and good year.
• I think you represent both cities.
• I was that inner-city kid.
• In 1989, the City of Phoenix City Council approved fluoridation through the water system.
• ; they're in an alternative program.

Bills: HB2015, HB2060, HB2129, HB2170, HB2210, HB2228, HB2352, HB2460, HB2533, SB1019, SB1045, SB1050, SB1078, SB1083, SB1167, SB1184, SCR1006

Keywords: budget procedures, late filing penalty, accounting standards, financial reporting, state appropriations, abortion, educational institutions, health education, state aid, public schools, municipal libraries, annual reporting, state legislation, transparency, government accountability, procurement, foreign adversary, China, state contracts, information technology

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas it's been available to cities within the incorporated area of a city or to counties in an area
• city the ability to, if the county tries to create a CID within the city limits, the city has authority
• Difficult, especially for cities and emergency-type services within cities, in terms of their high growth
• My challenge with this is just that it is only benefiting a small number of these small cities that do
• It might help those few small cities around the Treasure Valley that are growing, and we need to fix

Summary: The House convened with 66 members present, approved the journal, and received messages that several House bills had been signed by the governor and that multiple Senate bills and House bills had been transmitted, enrolled, or filed. The chamber also handled committee reports, introduced new measures, and referred several bills and resolutions to committees, including House Bill 938 and House Concurrent Resolution 37. House Concurrent Resolution 37, which urged rejection of rural health transformation funds, and House Resolution 29, which would amend House Rule 18, were sent to the Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee for printing. On third reading, the House passed House Bill 897 on data center tax exemptions and resource-use requirements, House Bill 926 expanding community infrastructure districts to counties outside city limits, House Bill 935 consolidating the Board of Denturity with the Board of Dentistry, House Concurrent Resolution 36 supporting the Idaho Air National Guard’s transition from A-10s to F-16s, and Senate Bill 1326 as amended, a property-rights/open-fields bill limiting warrantless entry onto private land while preserving certain law-enforcement and welfare-check exceptions. House Bill 842, a property-tax and budget-limit bill revising the earlier 389 framework, failed on a 28-41 vote. House Bill 910 was returned to committee. Later, the House passed Senate Bill 1258 allowing rural distilleries to serve their own products without a restaurant requirement, Senate Bill 1387 on the State Historical Society budget, Senate Bill 1388 on Department of Correction enhancements, Senate Bill 1262 clarifying insurer investment rules, Senate Bill 1285 as amended recognizing nonpublic-school diplomas for licensing purposes, Senate Bill 1250 expanding protections for death-scene photographs, Senate Bill 1260 revising immigration-related enforcement language, Senate Bill 1311 requiring ignition-interlock vendors to notify authorities of violations, Senate Bill 1369 changing venue rules so lawsuits may be filed where an incident occurred, and Senate Bill 1303 expanding eligible uses of energy royalties to additional energy resources. Senate Bill 1382, the Fish and Game budget, failed on a 32-36 vote after debate over wolf depredation funding and federal funds. The House also considered Senate Joint Memorial 11 urging protection of public lands from mass disposal; debate focused on access, land exchanges, and the fiscal effects of federal land ownership, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote is recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This teaching program allows juniors and seniors to entertain the aspect of going into the teaching program
• Well, my city, one of the cities in my district, does have its own power plant, but it purchases power
• And we've seen that in our cities, in our towns.
• Because the people that's in Kansas City or St.
• Because the people that's in Kansas City or St.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the House Journal by roll call vote (112-2), and numerous introductions of special guests, including former Rep. Bill Kidd, students, educators, pharmacy students, labor representatives, and community groups. Members also made a few personal announcements, including a birthday recognition. The chamber then moved into floor business on bills for perfection and printing. The main debate centered on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 21, 22, and 1626, the Missouri Nuclear Clean Power Act. Supporters argued the bill would remove Missouri’s ban on construction work in progress for nuclear plants, lower long-term electricity costs, support baseload power, attract industry and data centers, and help Missouri keep pace with small modular reactor development in other states and countries. Opponents said the measure would shift construction risk and potential cost overruns to ratepayers, cited past nuclear cost overruns and safety/waste concerns, and argued Missouri voters had already rejected this approach. After extended debate and several inquiries, the House adopted the committee substitute and then perfected and printed the bill. The House also perfected and printed House Bill 1881, which would classify xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance. Supporters said the drug is being misused in fentanyl mixtures, causing severe harm and deaths, while preserving legitimate veterinary and agricultural uses. Members from veterinary and law enforcement backgrounds backed the bill, and no opposition was voiced before passage. Finally, the House took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2292, a cross-reporting bill for child, elder, and companion animal abuse. The sponsor said the measure would require agencies already involved in abuse reporting to cross-report related abuse and train accordingly, while exempting agricultural animals. Members discussed amendments to criminalize knowingly starving an animal and to allow POST-certified state investigators to assist in elder abuse cases; both amendments were adopted. Debate also focused on concerns about training sources and whether animal-rights groups could misuse the bill, but the sponsor said the measure would not expand access to farms or animal control authority. The committee substitute was advanced after discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:56.360><c> school</c> it's $130,000 for our small school it's $130,000 for our small school
• We're trying to keep that number healthy in a small school like Hill City.
• </c><00:15:55.240><c> One</c><00:15:55.519><c> Small</c> small school like Hill City One Small small
• school like Hill City One Small Change<00:15:56.199><c> impacts</c><00:15:56.600><c> a</c><00:15:56.759
• Hill City, even though our number is 25.4% in Hill City, that is about $800,000.

Bills: HF957, HF877

Keywords: education, mandate relief, school funding, local control, state laws, fund transfers, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, so my first two years I got a lot of my credits in my small town because I went back to my small
• Whatever the program is, and there are programs available now that we can talk about, they have to be
• And I'm sure it's through some program, AI program, that identifies ties the car to the plate.
• policing program.
• programmed into our STIP.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2194 concerns the sales and use tax for cultural access programs.
• amount imposed by the city.
• with existing programs.
• a modest sales and use tax for cultural access programs.
• I have a small follow-up. Thank you. And I guess my question is, I have a small follow-up.

Summary: House Finance met on Friday, January 23rd, and heard three bills. On House Bill 2194, staff explained that the bill would allow a county and a city within that county to both impose the cultural access sales and use tax at the same time, with the county providing a credit for the city tax. Representative Parsley said the change would let more jurisdictions support cultural, arts, science, and school-related programs. Olympia and Thurston County officials testified in support, describing grant funding for cultural organizations, free programming, and school access benefits; a committee member raised a question about how the change could affect county bond obligations. The committee then heard House Bill 2089, which would narrow a B&O tax preference for first mortgage interest by removing the requirement that a financial institution be located in 10 or more states, and direct the resulting revenue to the wildfire response, forest restoration, and community resilience account. Staff said the bill would raise significant revenue and have implementation costs for the Department of Revenue. Representative Scott said the bill was intended to restore wildfire funding and limit the preference to community banks, while opponents from the Washington Bankers Association and Community Bankers of Washington warned the bill could harm community banks and mortgage lending if not drafted carefully. The Department of Natural Resources and a public employee representative supported restoring wildfire preparedness funding. Finally, the committee heard a proposed third substitute for House Bill 1960, which would replace property taxation for new or repowered large renewable energy facilities and battery storage systems with a state and local excise tax structure, while also creating a local investment distribution account and a tribal capacity grant program. Staff and the sponsor described the bill as a way to reduce property tax shifts onto nearby taxpayers and provide more stable, predictable revenue for local governments and tribes. County officials, assessors, treasurers, and some clean energy and conservation groups supported the concept but asked for clearer definitions, payment timing, and rate adjustments; utilities and renewable developers said they supported the goal but opposed the bill as drafted because of concerns about the rates and the treatment of centrally assessed utilities. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings on all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the city of Candy, Ohio, is a small community located about 100 miles straight west of the cities
• Ohio is a small uh city of Candy, Ohio is a small community<00:25:35.520><c> located</c><00:25:36.000
• We're a small city with big city needs, so I appreciate your time, and I appreciate Mr.
• You know,<01:15:05.760><c> small</c><01:15:06.080><c> city.
• Um I guess I'm I'm know, small city.

Bills: HF568, HF433, HF1689, HF3135, HF3137, HF3145, HF2887, HF2819, HF2802, HF2664, HF2267, HF799, HF800, HF3049, HF296, HF580, HF1438, HF1237

Keywords: special education, education funding, construction, Minnesota, regional educational programs, HF433, Cloquet Area Fire District, fire station, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, general obligation bonds, public safety, emergency services, fire protection, local infrastructure, Minnesota capital budget, DEED grant, municipal facilities, station construction

Transcript Highlights:

• We are hopeful that following that, we will be able to get the city—or convince the city—to come out,
• I'm sorry, the program.
• That program was basically replaced by the 36-month program, which is now the 60-month program where
• When we're paying out $1.4 billion per year, it's small.
• Now, you know, as the education program...