Transcript Highlights:

• SURVEY TO LEFT ON IN OCTOBER AND SURVEY THREE F WHICH IS TO BE IN A IT WAS THE DEPARTMENT'S PRACTICE
• RESULTS FROM OCTOBER OF 2024 INSTEAD OF IT SHOULD BE BASED OFF OF THE FEBRUARY SURVEY.
• FEFP IS LIVING OFF A SYSTEM WE CHECK ATTENDANCE IN FEBRUARY, WE CHECK IN OCTOBER, WE TRUE EVERYTHING
• FOR EXAMPLE, SERVING HIM TO THE OCTOBER SURVEY WAS DELAYED BECAUSE A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS HAD TO BE
• MY FIRST QUESTION BASED ON TABLE 7, DURING MR.

Transcript Highlights:

• The change is effective October 1st.
• The change is effective October 1st.
• In October, the eligibility changes for non-citizens will take effect on the first.
• Targeted to the changes to non-lawfully present non-citizens that are coming in October.
• And they want to build these models of 24/7 intensive services around families.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on July 30, 2026, to hear two main briefings. The first, from the Health Care Authority, focused on implementation of federal H.R. 1 Medicaid changes and Washington’s rural health transformation funding. HCA said the state is preparing for major eligibility changes, including the October 1 loss of Medicaid coverage for about 14,000 lawfully present non-citizens and January 1, 2027 work requirements, six-month renewals, and reduced retroactive coverage for roughly 600,000 Medicaid expansion adults. Officials described outreach efforts, new automated verification systems, a verification hub, and plans to use available data sources to reduce manual paperwork, while noting that about one-third of the affected population may still need manual processing. They also said H.R. 1 will limit state-directed payments over time, with an estimated long-term impact of up to $1.5 billion in hospital reimbursements. On rural health transformation, HCA said it is moving quickly to obligate its $181 million federal award through contracts and competitive grants for rural hospitals, workforce, behavioral health, technology, and tribal and community partners. Committee members asked about the impact on rural providers, community service as a work-requirement pathway, emergency Medicaid, tribal and federal reimbursement issues, and whether the state would submit comments on the federal work-requirement rule. HCA said it would file comments, that emergency Medicaid coverage for certain services remains available, and that it is working with tribes and other agencies to avoid erroneous terminations and to move eligible people into other coverage where possible. Members also raised concerns about the administrative burden on families and providers and the need for congressional attention on issues such as TRICARE reimbursement. The second briefing addressed maternal health and the Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Panel report. DOH said maternal mortality in Washington increased for the first time in the report series, but most pregnancy-related deaths remain preventable. Nearly half were linked to behavioral health conditions, especially overdose deaths, with suicide, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19 also significant causes; most deaths occurred postpartum rather than during delivery. The report found higher mortality rates among American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, multiracial, rural, and Medicaid-covered populations, and identified lack of access to care, financial hardship, housing instability, discrimination, bias, and systemic inequities as major contributors. DOH highlighted existing state actions such as one-year postpartum coverage, doula reimbursement, inpatient substance use treatment coverage for birthing people, and vaccine coverage requirements, and offered 12 legislative recommendations focused on affordable and high-quality care, basic needs and community supports, and equitable, culturally responsive services. Presenters from the Suquamish Tribe and Kitsap OBGYN described how the tribe acquired and stabilized a threatened OB-GYN practice to preserve regional access amid provider shortages and hospital service losses. They said rural obstetric care is difficult to sustain because of thin margins, workforce shortages, long travel distances, and higher-risk patients, and emphasized that tribal health systems can offer stronger reimbursement and integrated family-centered care. The Foundation for Healthcare Quality and the Bree Collaborative then outlined statewide maternity-care quality efforts, including work on perinatal behavioral health, care coordination, postpartum screening, doula support, and better-aligned payment models. They said Washington has strengths in innovation but still needs more OB-GYN capacity, better transitions of care, and more culturally responsive, trauma-informed maternal and Native health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Oil and Gas Research Council met on October 17, 2025, and presented to the commission six projects
• for consideration at their October 27th... ...six projects for consideration at their October 27th meeting
• We use this about minus $6 or $7 because we can't out-predict the world market.
• We use this about minus $6 or $7 because we can't out-predict the world market.
• We have a big announcement around Rough Rider Coin, partnering with FISA, last October.

Summary: The committee took roll, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a compliance-report update on the Industrial Commission and related funds and programs. Staff reviewed the status of one-time appropriations and grant programs, including electric grid resiliency, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the salt cavern business-case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members asked about funding balances, reimbursement timing, matching requirements, and how some commitments would affect the State Investment Fund and future biennia. Industrial Commission staff then gave a broader update on the agency’s administrative office, grant management system, leadership transitions at several commission agencies, and active grant rounds. They reported that the grant management system is nearing completion, that several agency leadership searches have concluded, and that the commission’s grant programs currently have 108 active grants totaling more than $165 million. They also described the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority round, the oil and gas research program’s enhanced oil recovery awards, the grid resiliency grants, the salt cavern study, and the research technology park program, noting that some projects are awaiting federal funds or additional matching cash. Ron Ness, speaking for the Oil and Gas Research Council, focused on the state of the oil industry and the enhanced oil recovery “Bakken 2.0” effort. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on better infrastructure, longer laterals, and new EOR methods such as CO2, natural gas, and surfactants. He emphasized the importance of the Bakkeneast pipeline and related gas-utilization projects, the recent DOE funding that will return some money to the research council, and the need to modernize tax and incentive rules for CO2-based recovery. Members discussed the potential economic benefits for oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and a broader strategic update. Bank leadership reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, participation lending, student lending, disaster programs, and legislatively directed programs, and said the bank is managing for a flatter deposit base and stronger liquidity because of fintech competition and changing market conditions. They reported improved earnings, with net income rising to about $231 million, and described Rough Rider Coin as a new internal payment rail for North Dakota banks and credit unions, not a public cryptocurrency. Members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster lending, and the bank’s capacity to support state programs while maintaining its balance-sheet and liquidity requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of these things happen from October to April.
• In San Diego County, it was $7 million; in Colfax County, $5.5 million.
• Chair, is you're saying free day use from October... 1st to April 30th.
• Since then, on October 1, actually.
• The rest of the $7 million is still not there. Why is it still not there?

Transcript Highlights:

• then you have to have, you know, the neurosurgery physicians and the trauma surgeons and all that 24/7
• We implemented a new licensing and inspection software in October 2025.
• We launched it in October.
• So, the folks that are at home, I run 24/7 operations.
• On your picture, you have 7 floors. But the top floor is a step down for adults.

Committee: House A&B Health Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• Reported a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and the devastating Hamas-led attack on October 7.
• There have been over 10,000 anti-Semitic incidents in the US since that fateful October day.
• Amidst this chaos, the stark reality of what occurred on October 7 and the enduring lessons of the Holocaust
• The exhibit was a re-creation of the Nova Music Festival that took place on October 6 and 7 in southern

Bills: SJR37 , SJR57 , SCR8 , SB8 , SB108 , SB125 , SB251 , SB318 , SB378 , SB379 , SB396 , SB472 , SB487 , SB503 , SB533 , SB565 , SB583 , SB608 , SB650 , SB686 , SB689 , SB707 , SB710 , SB763 , SB854 , SB875 , SB916 , SB924 , SB925 , SB958 , SB961 , SB965 , SB987 , SB988 , SB1006 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1024 , SB1026 , SB1038 , SB1146 , SB1185 , SB1194 , SB1202 , SB1252 , SB1253 , SB1330 , SB1343 , SB1362 , SB1497 , SB1498 , SB1499 , SB1527 , SB1547 , SB1596 , SB1697 , SJR36 , SJR12 , SJR57 , SJR37 , SCR22 , SCR12 , SCR8 , SB925 , SB1362 , SB565 , SB765 , SB62 , SB666 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB847 , SB1248 , SB504 , SB857 , SB305 , SB296 , SB284 , SB1497 , SB1499 , SB1498 , SB241 , SB304 , SB621 , SB1023 , SB1024 , SB686 , SB371 , SB204 , SB609 , SB670 , SB850 , SB854 , SB413 , SB1346 , SB1033 , SB1220 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB1539 , SB447 , SB875 , SB406 , SB985 , SB965 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB1194 , SB1253 , SB1215 , SB1302 , SB856 , SB583 , SB673 , SB681 , SB1172 , SB1252 , SB378 , SB608 , SB955 , SB957 , SB988 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1120 , SB251 , SB541 , SB379 , SB1737 , SB266 , SB1415 , SB1527 , SB125 , SB599 , SB1330 , SB53 , SB916 , SB1352 , SB785 , SB710 , SB472 , SB1450 , SB1502 , SB1566 , SB414 , SB1062 , SB961 , SB1038 , SB578 , SB711 , SB746 , SB942 , SB1404 , SB1448 , SB1738 , SB108 , SB8 , SB318 , SB507 , SB533 , SB689 , SB1026 , SB1349 , SB1355 , SB1433 , SB1434 , SB1596 , SB1403 , SB1146 , SB763 , SB667 , SB1059 , SB617 , SB1567 , SB503 , SB16 , SB310 , SB311 , SB396 , SB505 , SB1209 , SB1210 , SB1470 , SB264 , SB924 , SB1029 , SB1185 , SB1202 , SB1358 , SB1364 , SB1569 , SB1697 , SB1376 , SB1228 , SB519 , SB878 , SB1350 , SB462 , SB1535 , SB827 , SB1585 , SB207 , SB1207 , SB1619 , SB1396 , SB920 , SB1484 , SB1273 , SB1741 , SB7 , SB927 , SB1227 , SB1229 , SB1353 , SB1366 , SB1464 , SB1709 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1772 , SB1816 , SB1841 , SB2188 , SB1147 , SB879 , SB1008 , SB378 , SB710 , SB916 , SB1019 , SB1146 , SB1194 , SB1253 , SB1499 , SB213 , SB925 , SB1362 , SR263 , SR311 , SR333 , SCR8 , SB2407 , SB2722 , SB2949 , SB2407 , SB2722 , SB2949

Transcript Highlights:

• So the group met five times between October and February to discuss...
• So the group met five times between October and February to discuss ideas and make recommendations for
• You know, I think on the previous slide it noted that 97%... that there's 7% utilization growth between
• compare the PCA program to, say, AFC, you know, if you look at AFC, the rate has pretty much gone up by 7%
• If you look at AFC, the rate has pretty much gone up by 7% over that same time period, and utilization

Summary: The subcommittee met with MassHealth LTSS Chief Leslie Darcy to review the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program and the legislative work group focused on its long-term sustainability and cost containment. Darcy and Charlie described the work group’s five meetings and three consensus recommendations: enforce the 66-hour overtime cap, address fraudulent activity in the PCA program, and eliminate MassHealth handling of PCA paperwork/administrative work for members without a live-in exemption because those members are subject to EVV. They explained EVV as an electronic visit verification system replacing paper timesheets, and noted the rollout is expected to be completed this fall. The group estimated about $7 million in savings from the consensus recommendations and agreed to continue meeting through June to consider additional ideas. Darcy presented data showing the PCA program served about 56,000 members in state fiscal year 2024 and has grown from $1.2 billion in FY20 to $1.6 billion in FY24, with projections near $2 billion by 2027. She said much of the growth is driven by wage increases and older adults using more services, and compared PCA costs with other LTSS programs. The discussion also covered overtime spending, the role of federal financial participation, and how Massachusetts’ PCA program differs from other states because it has no hard caps on hours or activities. Several members emphasized the program’s value for independent living and community participation, while also acknowledging the need to control growth without undermining services. Members asked about undocumented immigrants and MassHealth funding, and Darcy explained that some eligibility categories are state-funded only and do not receive federal matching funds. Another member asked about workforce recruitment and wage pressures; Darcy said recent collective bargaining agreements raised PCA wages, with some workers eventually reaching $25 per hour and the entry wage reaching $20. The group also discussed whether IADL hours are disproportionately high compared with ADL needs, and reviewed data suggesting potential savings if IADL hours were limited relative to ADL hours, though no consensus recommendation was made on that point. The meeting ended with approval of the prior minutes by roll call vote, an update that the next health equity informational hearing is scheduled for May 19, and a motion to adjourn carried unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• June's birthday was October 27th. And she, yeah, I know I'd really think of that.
• My birthday's October 24th. Oh, well. I'm not six. I don't think she thinks she's six either, so.
• over the past few years on appropriations regarding a, I would say, construction to the tune of about $7
• So over the years, We've had about $7 million at a 50-50 match, so totaling about $14 million in new
• situations in which we do need maintenance operation, we can work with the state, as we've done for the $7

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• Between October 2023 and January 2026, there have been a total of 3,810 petitions filed.
• We are updating our judicial needs assessment, but the latest report from October 2022 reflects some
• Based on the October 2022 report, there was still a need even at that time for 98 additional judicial
• a reception with the Chief Justice across the street at the 3rd District Court of Appeal from 5 to 7

Transcript Highlights:

• Between October 2023 and January 2026, there have been a total of 3,810 petitions filed.
• We are updating our judicial needs assessment, but the latest report from October 2022 reflects some
• Based on the October 2022 report, there was still a need even at that time for 98 additional judicial
• a reception with the Chief Justice across the street at the 3rd District Court of Appeals from 5 to 7

Summary: The Legislature recessed into a joint convention for the 2026 State of the Judiciary, escorted the California Supreme Court justices to the rostrum, and heard remarks from legislative leaders and Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. The speakers emphasized judicial independence, the rule of law, and the importance of the courts as a co-equal branch of government. The Chief Justice framed her address as a calm report on the judiciary’s work and major challenges, while thanking legislative and executive partners for collaboration. Chief Justice Guerrero highlighted several policy and operational issues facing the courts. She urged continued support for remote proceedings, noting more than 6 million remote hearings since 2022 and strong user satisfaction, and discussed the CARE Act’s statewide implementation, including petition and agreement numbers and the recent expansion to cover certain bipolar disorders. She also raised concerns about judicial security and privacy, threats and negative rhetoric toward judges, courthouse access issues tied to federal immigration enforcement, and the need for more judgeships and funding in high-need counties such as Riverside and San Bernardino. She also discussed the judiciary’s response to artificial intelligence, including guidance on generative AI, deepfakes, and evidence admissibility, and reported corrective actions after the troubled February 2025 bar exam, including scoring adjustments, expanded provisional licensing, and a return to in-person testing. Additional points included proposed ongoing funding for trial courts, long-standing judicial salary disparities, and the Judicial Council’s 100th anniversary. No votes were taken; the joint convention concluded with the address ordered printed in the Journal and an invitation to a reception for members and guests.

Transcript Highlights:

• We were here last year, last October, and we did anticipate being back here this year simply because
• “We started with them July 1, but I can say that when we left here last October, the DASA team reached
• And so we have been working closely with them since October.
• I didn't like being here in October, but after October...”
• I didn't like being here in October, but after October, it was kind of like, all right, look, you know

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Summary: The committee met to review a large slate of education audit reports, with most of the discussion focused on the Blytheville School District. Legislative Audit summarized serious repeat findings in the FY24 and FY25 audits, including missing supporting documentation for payroll, receipts, disbursements, journal entries, and Title I spending; unreconciled bank balances; capital asset recordkeeping problems; missing performance bonds; and payroll errors. Audit staff said the lack of documentation led to qualified opinions on the financial statements, and the reports were referred to the prosecuting attorney and attorney general. Members questioned how the district had reached that point, what safeguards existed under state takeover, whether prior administrators had moved on to other districts, and how much money might need to be repaid. District and Department of Education representatives said Blytheville was under Level 5 intensive support, had a new superintendent, new finance staff, and a management contract with AMS, and that corrective action plans were underway. A motion to refer the matter to the Professional Licensure Standards Board was discussed, then withdrawn so the former superintendent, Dr. Veronica Perkins, could testify; she said the district had longstanding staffing and process problems, denied intentional wrongdoing, and described the changes now being made. The committee ultimately held the Blytheville report over until the September meeting and then filed it later in the meeting after further discussion. The committee then reviewed several other repeat-finding reports. KIPP Delta Public Charter School had multiple repeat issues involving missing documentation, improper use of Title I and federal funds, weak bank reconciliations, collateralization problems, capital asset recordkeeping, related-party transactions, and journal entry approval; that report had already been referred to the First Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney and the Attorney General. KIPP representatives said they had replaced personnel, improved oversight, and were working with outside support to correct long-standing finance problems, including a prior $3.6 million variance that they said had been reduced to zero. Hope Academy of Northwest Arkansas, which had voluntarily closed effective June 30, 2025, had repeat findings tied to financial statement errors, bank reconciliations, leave records, non-payroll expenditures, and journal entries; its former superintendent said the school closed without owing money to the state and that the organization had shifted its work into a new project serving students with behavioral needs. The committee also heard brief presentations on Brinkley, Lee County, and Marvel school districts. Brinkley’s repeat findings involved misclassified and unrecorded revenues and investments tied to bond and settlement accounts, plus bank reconciliation issues; the district said it had a new finance team, was working with outside support, and had reduced its variance to zero. Lee County’s repeat finding involved capital assets, including a bus that had been disposed of but remained on the asset list and several purchased items that were not added promptly; the superintendent said the district had improved overall and corrected the issue. Marvel’s repeat finding involved payroll errors, with one certified employee overpaid and another underpaid due to clerical mistakes. In each case, district representatives described corrective steps, and the committee voted without objection to file the reports that were ready for disposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Effective October 1, 2029, H.R. 1 removes the federal good-faith waivers for flexibility in reducing
• They said that due to cuts, they were losing $7 million a month, and so the clinic is closed.
• That provision does not go into effect until October 1st, 2028.
• That is something, again, it starts October 2028, and so we will be working towards implementing that
• It's October 2028, and so we will be working towards implementing that in the coming months.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s Medi-Cal program and on community health effects from recent immigration enforcement actions. Committee leaders said H.R. 1 would sharply reduce federal funding, increase administrative burdens, and worsen access to care, especially for Medi-Cal enrollees, immigrant families, rural communities, and reproductive health patients. The second half of the hearing examined how ICE raids and related federal actions are creating fear, reducing clinic and emergency department use, and disrupting children’s access to schools and early childhood education. Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Bass outlined the main H.R. 1 provisions affecting Medi-Cal: work requirements, semiannual eligibility redeterminations, shorter retroactive coverage, new cost-sharing, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, reduced federal support for emergency and lawful immigrant coverage, and a one-year ban on Medicaid funding for prohibited abortion providers. She estimated millions could lose coverage, with tens of billions of dollars in federal funding at risk. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California warned the defunding provision could force clinic closures, service reductions, and loss of access to family planning, STI testing, and cancer screenings. The California Hospital Association said the financing changes could cut hospital revenue by tens of billions over 10 years and threaten access, especially for rural and safety-net hospitals. The Western Center on Law and Poverty argued the law would increase churn, paperwork, and uninsured rates, disproportionately harming working adults and people experiencing homelessness. Committee members asked about implementation timelines, notification systems, administrative costs, the effect on immigrant eligibility, and whether California could delay or mitigate some provisions. Bass said the state was still assessing federal guidance, planning county and provider outreach, and exploring a possible delay for work requirements and a transition period for provider-tax changes. Members also discussed how state budget actions may need to be revisited in light of H.R. 1, and how California might preserve access through state-only funding or other policy changes. In the second panel, CHIRLA, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and the Children’s Partnership described the health consequences of immigration enforcement. Speakers said raids and data-sharing fears are causing anxiety, trauma, and avoidance of care, with Los Angeles County reporting declines in emergency, urgent care, and clinic visits after enforcement actions. The Children’s Partnership said school and early childhood absences are rising in some communities and that enforcement is undermining children’s emotional well-being and access to education. Members asked for more data and discussed possible state protections, telehealth, mobile care, and legal and policy responses to reduce fear and preserve access to health and education services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas the federal government has shut down since October 1, 2025, and has not yet come to an agreement
• Whereas Governor Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency on October 29, 2025, which allowed the state
• Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Mexico and Acting Governor, pursuant. to Article 5, Section 7

Transcript Highlights:

• through 17 must receive students 7 through 17 must receive instruction<00:52:09.760><c> until</c><00:
• So they came in in October and shared the work that they were doing, and what we made a goal of, you
• So they came in in October and shared the work that they were doing, and what we made a goal of, you
• So they came in in October and shared the work that they were doing, and what we made a goal of, you
• So they came in in October and shared the work that they were doing, and what we made a goal of, you

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Turning to page 7, we identify a few key issues for the legislature to consider.
• Beginning October 126, the federal share of administrative costs will drop to 25%, leaving California
• And this original plan was set to be completed by October 2025, but it was unfortunately delayed to October
• And I, But it was unfortunately delayed to October 2027.
• Last year, CalFood provided 7 million meals across San Diego County and supplemented 118 monthly San

Transcript Highlights:

• October... >> Sometime near October 15th, maybe the 14th, maybe the 16th. >> Division's meeting on the
• <01:59:37.599><c> 15th</c> &gt;&gt; October 15th &gt;&gt; October 15th &gt;&gt; kind<01:59:39.040><c>
• </c><01:59:45.440><c> October</c> &gt;&gt; What are you looking at?
• October &gt;&gt; What are you looking at?
• October &gt;&gt; sometime<01:59:46.960><c> near</c><01:59:47.440><c> October</c><01:59:48.000><c> 15th

Summary: The meeting began with approval of partial minutes, with members noting that DHS/HHS material was not yet included and that the minutes would be finalized later. The committee then heard from the General Court about several dedicated funds. Testimony explained the Joint Legislative Historical Fund, which receives a $25,000 annual general fund appropriation and transfers from visitor center sales above a $50,000 threshold, and is used for portrait maintenance, chamber work, Hall of Flags upkeep, and other historical preservation needs. Members also discussed the preservation of the Civil War flags in the Hall of Flags, with the General Court stating the flags are monitored through annual high-definition photos and that no immediate stabilization project is planned. A question about Union cemeteries was raised but the witness said he had no knowledge of federal funding for them. The committee also reviewed the visitor center revolving fund and noted that the accounting presentation is confusing because transfers are netted out so the fund ends each year at $50,000. Members suggested the narrative should clearly identify the transfer amounts and actual revenue, and staff agreed to note that in future reporting. The General Court then described its special legislative account as a stability reserve for capital and emergency needs, citing past uses such as the plaza ADA renovation, the legislative parking garage, and moving operations to One Granite Place. Members asked about interest earnings and were told the account is held in the treasury and any interest goes to the general fund unless statute directs otherwise; no additional funding was recommended at this time. The Department of Administrative Services then presented the law enforcement memorial fund, explaining it is a long-standing leftover construction fund with a small balance that has not been needed because the New Hampshire Law Enforcement Memorial Officers Association privately funds memorial upkeep and plaques. Members discussed whether the state should transfer the remaining money to the nonprofit, but no decision was made; the department said it would research whether such a transfer is legally possible. The department also reviewed the former land conservation endowment fund, now moving to Fish and Game under House Bill 2, and explained that it primarily covers administrative costs, management fees, and investment losses for a long-term conservation program. Members asked about the fund’s large balance and the increase in expenses, and were told the fund is intended to last indefinitely and that future reporting will shift to Fish and Game.

Transcript Highlights:

• The notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Administrative Bulletin on October 1, 2025, and
• we had three participants at the public hearing held on October 7, 2025.
• adopted by the Land Board on November 18, 2025, and published in the Administrative Bulletin on January 7,

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• Transfer students are up about 7%, our workforce up about another 6%.
• We're seeing some softening there in that basic education space, and our Running Start up about another 7%
• The first round, I think, is 7 out of 200. Yeah. Okay, that's not bad, right? That's pretty good.
• The first, the first round, I think, is 7 out of 200. Yeah. Okay, that's not bad, right?
• You'll note on the slide that these schools saw a 7% increase in FAFSA completion in those three months

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education and health account for about 70%, 17% of those are in construction, and another 7%, and so
• For FY26, the current year, it has been revised down by $7, and for the out year, the budget year, by
• If you will turn with me to page 7, we will examine the pre-kindergarten program.
• Slide 7 shows you what will be needed in order to address that. Dr.
• They have now gone up from 7% in FY23 to 13% in FY25.

Transcript Highlights:

• When are they going to start staying open 24/7?
• At nine years old, we found out that she had a rare terminal disease, and she passed October 7, 2018.
• At nine years old, we found out that she had a rare terminal disease, and she passed October 7, 2018.
• Senator Boyer: Vote of 7-0-0-0-0-0, not voting.
• By our vote of 7-0-0, you have given Senate Bill 1641 a due-pass recommendation.

Summary: The Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then heard several bills. SB 1668, dealing with funeral and disposition timelines and related requirements for unborn children and minors, drew emotional testimony from funeral industry representatives and a parent about burdensome deadlines and problems obtaining signatures from an ex-partner; it also drew opposition over language referencing abortion clinics and reproductive freedom. The committee adopted a due-pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine prescription limits, was amended to shorten non-antimicrobial prescriptions to 30 days and allow antimicrobial prescriptions for up to 14 days without an in-person exam; veterinarians and industry representatives were neutral with caution or supportive, while opponents warned about overprescribing and inadequate diagnosis. The amended bill passed 4-3. The committee then passed SB 1235, joining the emergency services personnel licensure interstate compact, on a 7-0 vote, with the sponsor describing it as a reciprocity measure for EMTs and paramedics. SB 1446, which changes dialysis social worker documentation from monthly to quarterly to match federal and most state practice, also passed unanimously after support from DaVita. SB 1515, an Industrial Commission cleanup bill that renames positions, removes obsolete private employment office oversight language, and shifts publication of fee schedules online, was amended and passed 7-0. SB 1678, concerning documentation and oversight in health care institutions and group homes for vulnerable adults, was amended to remove a patient-form requirement and instead require DHS investigation when EMS personnel complain that a DNR was not provided; providers moved to neutral or support after the amendment, and the bill passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1747, which would require social media platforms to terminate accounts for minors under 14 and certain 14- and 15-year-olds without parental consent and impose age-verification and harmful-content restrictions. Opponents from NetChoice, TechNet, and Meta raised privacy, security, and constitutional concerns and argued for app-store-based parental controls instead, while a parents’ advocate supported the bill as a starting point for child safety. The transcript ends during that hearing without a final committee action on SB 1747.