Transcript Highlights:

• Staff can use natural language questions to retrieve relevant procedures and policy guidance.

Summary: The Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans Committee held its first meeting of the session and began with member and staff introductions, followed by a work session on emerging technology, digital risks, and governance, focused on artificial intelligence in state government. Washington Technology Solutions officials Gretchen Perry, Katie Ruckel, and James Galvin described the state’s approach to balancing innovation with public trust, emphasizing human judgment, transparency, accountability, and the use of AI to augment rather than replace people. They outlined benefits such as automating repetitive tasks, improving fraud and anomaly detection, supporting multilingual access, and improving customer service and internal productivity. The presenters also discussed AI risks, including algorithmic bias, overreliance, hallucinations, and ethical concerns, and explained the state’s governance framework. That framework is based on NIST AI risk principles and includes statewide AI principles, inventory requirements, risk assessments for high-risk uses, accuracy and monitoring requirements, training, data-sharing controls, and restrictions on creating likenesses without consent. They noted the state adopted a statewide AI policy on December 11 and has created an AI community of practice and related subcommittees to support implementation. They also said the policy was bargained with unions where required and that agencies must give notice before consequential AI-related changes affecting working conditions. James Galvin highlighted current AI use cases across state agencies, including visual and spatial analysis for emergency response and flood recovery, the Department of Licensing’s Dolly chatbot for resident services, and an internal contract-assistance tool for staff that is limited to approved materials. Members asked about audit implications, language services and interpreters, the policy’s applicability beyond government, union involvement, return on investment, and whether the state uses off-the-shelf or custom AI models. The presenters said most uses rely on off-the-shelf large language models, that high-risk generative AI is not yet in production, and that the policy is designed to encourage low- and moderate-risk uses while adding more scrutiny for higher-risk applications. No votes or legislative actions were taken; the meeting concluded with committee housekeeping and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• relevant brand registration information identifying stolen. livestock and substantially expediting the retrieval

Bills: SB384 , SB503 , SB565 , SB616 , SB740

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: hunting license, fishing license, donation, operation game thief fund, wildlife conservation, livestock, electronic registry, marks and brands, Texas Animal Health Commission, animal identification, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement, enforcement suspension, utility consolidation, regionalization, water supply, sewer

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water and Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened under the leadership of Chairman Kelly Hancock, who opened the meeting with a prayer in remembrance of Chairman Perry, who was absent due to a personal loss. The session focused on the discussions surrounding SB384, which aims to support the longstanding initiative known as Operation Game Thief. Senator Flores presented the bill, emphasizing its essential role in the fight against poaching through public support. The operation has a successful track record of convictions but is currently dependent on donations and merchandise sales for funding. The committee aimed to vote on multiple bills during this session, contingent on achieving a quorum. Notably, discussions also revolved around fiscal notes on two bills that were set aside for later consideration, indicating the committee's intention to carefully manage their legislative decisions. The meeting showcased a productive atmosphere, with committee members actively engaged in the review and potential advancement of key legislative measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• It raises the caps on the inspections under the Egg Grading Act.
• I'm picturing this guy or this lady inspecting these eggs.
• So I would like to go on an egg inspection tour in the future.
• So the scope of this bill is more than just eggs.
• I have never heard, Madam Chair, the phrase "trafficking in eggs."

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: During the legislative meeting, House Bill 287 was discussed, which proposes the establishment of a permanent Health and Human Services Committee to oversee the state's $14.4 billion expenditure in this area. An amendment to the bill was adopted, which clarified funding and operational details. Public comments were solicited, but no one spoke in opposition. The committee ultimately voted, with some members expressing concerns about budget implications, but the motion to pass the bill as amended was made and seconded, with several members opposing it. House Bill 371 was also addressed, which focuses on creating an Acequia Infrastructure Fund to support land grant and Acequia communities. The bill aims to provide a financial mechanism for these communities to access funds for infrastructure projects without relying on capital outlay requests. The committee discussed the bill's implications, potential funding sources, and the need for further amendments regarding representation and oversight. A motion to pass the bill was made, with some opposition noted, particularly regarding the lack of specificity in the bill's provisions. Lastly, Senate Bill 143 was presented, which seeks to raise the caps on inspection fees under the Egg Grading Act, among other agricultural regulations. Supportive testimony was provided by representatives from agricultural organizations, emphasizing the need for updated fee structures. The committee engaged in discussions about the bill's implications for consumers and the agricultural sector, ultimately moving towards a vote to pass the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• egg world that we're just in.
• egg world that we're just in.
• Moving to the egg marketing and development division on line 11, that's the egg market combining and
• This is to the egg fund.
• This is to the egg fund. tails. This is to the egg fund.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• If you could retrieve your vote and support or remain neutral, that will add on to the comprehensiveness
• c> coming uh next year and if you could coming uh next year and if you could um<00:58:19.480><c> retrieve
• 20.359><c> your</c><00:58:20.880><c> vote</c><00:58:21.280><c> and</c><00:58:21.520><c> and</c> um retrieve
• your your vote and and um retrieve your your vote and and support<00:58:22.280><c> or</c><00:58:22.720

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Whoever left that there, please retrieve it, or it will be recycled.
• donated whoever left that<02:18:25.920><c> there</c><02:18:26.120><c> please</c><02:18:26.359><c> retrieve
• </c><02:18:27.000><c> or</c><02:18:27.200><c> it</c><02:18:27.319><c> will</c> that there please retrieve
• it or it will that there please retrieve it or it will be<02:18:27.840><c> recycled</c><02:18:28.840

Transcript Highlights:

• in our state, our diverse egg products, those increasing costs are quite elevated.
• all producers, egg farmers, are actually over 55 years old.
• Most people are familiar with the wonderful egg prices that we’ve gone through.
• Salmonella, a lot of things that you hear about, E. coli, Listeria—it's really focused on eggs and egg
• Those farms are producing eggs day in and day out, and so we have to have those results.

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met for a work session focused on Washington agriculture’s condition, food security, behavioral health, and animal disease surveillance. WSDA Director Derek Sandison and economist Maddie Roy presented an update on agricultural viability, describing Washington agriculture as highly diverse and valuable but increasingly strained by rising production and labor costs, aging producers, consolidation, trade barriers, land pressures, stagnant research funding, infrastructure concerns, and climate impacts. They cited declining farm numbers, falling net farm income, and negative take-home pay for farmers, while also noting strengths such as climate, soils, ports, irrigation, universities, and other infrastructure. Committee members asked about commodity-specific impacts, comparisons with other states, and the role of regulation in worsening costs. Kelly McLean followed with a discussion of opportunities to support agriculture, including trade, domestic food systems development, climate mitigation, clean energy, ag tech, workforce and education, and mental health. She highlighted investments in port and transportation infrastructure, local food processing and distribution, land access and incubator opportunities, climate resilience projects, and programs supporting farmworker and farmer mental health. Katie Raines then updated the committee on food systems and food security, explaining WSDA’s reorganization into a Farm and Food Systems Development Division and describing trends in household food insecurity, the state’s hunger safety net, and the importance of food system infrastructure. She noted that food insecurity is rising again and that even higher-income households are reporting need, while legislators asked about eligibility thresholds and the impact on lower-income residents. The committee also heard from WSU Skagit County Extension’s Don McMoran and Maddie Van der Koi on agricultural stress and suicide prevention. They described the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Partnership, crisis and referral resources, peer-to-peer outreach, trainings, and free counseling vouchers for farmers and farmworkers. They emphasized that farmers face chronic stress from financial volatility, weather, labor shortages, isolation, and stigma, and cited elevated suicide rates in agricultural populations. Members asked about reluctance to seek help and whether flooding had increased demand for services. Finally, Dr. Kevin Snekovic of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory described WADDL’s role in disease testing, food safety, wildlife surveillance, and rapid response to outbreaks such as avian influenza and chronic wasting disease. He said the lab supports trade and quarantine decisions, and members asked about elk hoof rot research, workforce needs, and how to connect constituents to the lab. No votes were taken; the session ended with a preview of upcoming Thursday work sessions on marine resources, Columbia River Basin supply, Ecology’s report back, and agricultural natural resources issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• providers for services, but it also connects to the three MCOs and the dental managed care plan to retrieve
• providers for services, but it also connects to the three MCOs and the dental managed care plan to retrieve
• D mentioned: an algorithm that sets parameters to retrieve matches through all of that clinical data
• 01:08:03.599><c> parameters</c><01:08:04.640><c> uh</c><01:08:04.880><c> to</c><01:08:05.359><c> retrieve
• </c> that sets parameters uh to retrieve that sets parameters uh to retrieve matches<01:08:06.799><c>

Summary: The committee first approved the draft minutes from its May 29 meeting and then received an informational update from the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing about the state’s ASL interpreter pipeline. Representative Woods and Associate Commissioner Ann Landry explained that the American Sign Language program at UNH Manchester, the nation’s first fully accredited program, is facing viability concerns because high tuition has left only two of a potential 20 students committed so far. They warned that if enrollment does not recover, the program could face a teachout and eventually be lost, which they said would be detrimental because many state services and legal proceedings require qualified interpreters. Members discussed possible alternatives, including whether community colleges could help, and asked for follow-up research and contact information for UNH officials. The committee also heard that interpreter demand across DHHS continues to rise and that the department must ensure compliance with civil rights and service-access requirements. The committee then turned to Medicaid policy changes tied to Senate Bill 134 and a new federal interim final rule on Medicaid community engagement, or work, requirements. DHHS officials Olivia May and Ann Landry explained that the state law and federal rule align in many areas, but the committee still needed to decide how to implement several remaining policy choices. The department recommended adopting all four short-term hardship exceptions because the federal rule requires states to take them all or none: inpatient or institutional care, federally declared emergencies, high-unemployment areas, and extensive out-of-state travel for serious medical care. Members generally supported the exceptions but raised concerns about how they would be defined and applied, especially the emergency and medical-travel categories. Several legislators asked for more clarity on terms like “extensively” and “serious or complex medical care,” and DHHS said the federal rule does not rigidly define them, though the state could refine implementation through rulemaking if authorized. The department also said the emergency exception would apply only to federally declared emergencies, not state declarations, and would be tied to the emergency event itself. No final vote on the Medicaid policy was recorded in the portion provided, but the discussion indicated the committee was reviewing the remaining decisions needed to implement Senate Bill 134 under the new federal framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, yeah, do you do brown eggs or white eggs? Well, brown. Yeah, most of them.
• Ones they were the Easter egg chickens, and they would lay different colored eggs.
• eggs. It's amazing, isn't it?
• Yeah, that is correct, and that's true whether it's a chicken egg or a goose egg, right?
• You would think the price of eggs was up so high we talked about tariffs.

Bills: SJR 1 , SB 9 , SB 40 , SJR 36 , SJR 1 , SJR 5 , SB 9 , SB 40 , SR 61 , SR 91 , SR 97 , SR 103 , SR 104 , SR 112 , SR 115 , SR 116 , SCR 16 , SB 26 , SB 26

Transcript Highlights:

• allegations asserting that the law has not been followed, and how individuals are being selected for, Retrieval
• So you only got one charge on you right now that you dropped the whole egg.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um eggs that are past their best date. um eggs that are past their best date.
• So it's just a a these eggs.
• </c> from MDA to take a crack at this egg from MDA to take a crack at this egg question?
• </c><00:47:27.320><c> Um</c> egg joke. So, apologies. Um egg joke. So, apologies.
• <00:48:28.720><c> um</c> egg on our face, um egg on our face, um I<00:48:30.000><c> would</c><00:48:30.160

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• Does that mean that you can't label Egg Beaters as Egg Beaters?
• Or can it be called egg substitute beaters? Like, how?
• Senator Smith: Are you prohibited from using the actual word egg in an egg-substitute product?
• Egg Beaters, as far as I know, are true eggs. They take parts of the egg and make that product.
• Senator Truenow: If there are eggs in the container, then it's eggs.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance led by pages, and several introductions recognizing guests, family members, and a USF Day at the Capitol presentation. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar, where it first passed two Open Government Sunset Review bills: CS/SB 7010, preserving a public records exemption for certain Department of Financial Services receiver information, and SB 7008/HB 7003, preserving confidentiality for financial technology sandbox application records. Both measures passed unanimously. The Senate also passed CS/SB 1430 on post-judgment execution proceedings relating to terrorism, a bill intended to help victims enforce judgments against terrorist entities, and CS/CS/SB 910 on veterans benefits assistance, aimed at improving veterans’ access to benefits and transition support. Additional measures passed included CS/CS/CS/SB 832 on former phosphate mining lands, SB 796 on general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems, CS/CS/CS/SB 700, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, and several claims bills, including relief for Darlene Angerville and J.R., Eric and Jennifer Miles on behalf of EEM, and Marcus Button. SB 994 on driver’s license education requirements also passed after an amendment making texting while driving a moving violation with points and a distracted-driving course requirement. The most extended debate centered on CS/CS/CS/SB 700, where senators discussed provisions on fluoride in drinking water, labeling of plant-based products, drone penalties, charity registration, agricultural housing, and other agriculture-related policy changes. Several amendments on fluoride were offered and defeated, while a technical amendment on financial institution definitions was adopted. Senators also briefly discussed the policy implications of the bill’s fluoride language and its relationship to local control and public health. Several other bills on the calendar were temporarily postponed, and at the end of the session the Senate adopted motions to certify passed bills to the House, retain postponed bills on the special order calendar, and remove CS/SB 7016 from the special order calendar. The Senate then adjourned until April 16.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to grow our egg sector.
• Okay, we are losing way too much egg production. We're losing too much egg land.
• Okay, we are losing way too much egg production. We're losing too much egg land.
• Okay, we are losing way too much egg production. We're losing too much egg land.
• Okay, we are losing way too much egg production. We're losing too much egg land.

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee on Water and Land met on February 13, 2025, and heard testimony on a series of housing, land, and resource bills. Early bills included HB 743 on fiscal sustainability, HB 1318 on affordable housing, and HB 1409 on the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Improvement District Board. Testimony on the housing measures was largely supportive from agencies and advocacy groups such as the Office of Planning, Hawaii Housing Future, Hawaii Appleseed, Catholic Charities, and the County of Kauai, while the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) raised concerns on HB 1318 about public trust duties for ceded lands. On HB 1409, members questioned whether the bill needed updating in light of a separate bill changing the board structure, and witnesses said the measure did not change funding but only the board’s mission and scope. The committee also heard HB 1410, which would create a supportive housing special fund. Supporters, including Catholic Charities, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Hawaii Appleseed, argued that predictable dedicated funding is needed for supportive housing, social services, and long-term homelessness solutions. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed tax earmarks in general, saying they subvert the constitutional budgeting process. Members asked how the fund would be administered and who could access it; witnesses said HHFDC and the counties would coordinate the process, but DLNR noted the bill did not provide additional administrative capacity and suggested language to address that. Later bills included HB 528 on residential leaseholds, HB 1359 on flood mitigation, HB 1087 on historic preservation reviews, HB 868 on disabilities, and HB 1323 on transfer of non-agricultural park lands. HB 528 drew limited testimony, with a Catholic Charities/Hawaii Public Housing Authority representative offering a general example of leasehold development but saying the bill’s exemptions had not been discussed in detail. HB 1359 prompted discussion of homeowner and county responsibilities for drainage and flood damage, with DLNR saying private owners are responsible for drainage on private property and counties for county roads. HB 1087 was supported by DHHL, which said historic preservation reviews currently take about 165 days and the bill could improve timeliness, while Hawaii Historic Hawaii Foundation opposed it. HB 868 drew support from the Disability Rights Center and DCAB, with testimony focusing on beach access and the need for clearer legal authority. On HB 1323, DLNR opposed the bill, saying it did not reflect Act 90 and that some agricultural parcels should remain under DLNR for conservation, watershed, recreation, or fire protection reasons; DOA, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council supported the measure, arguing that productive agricultural lands should be transferred to agriculture to protect local food production and family ranches.

Transcript Highlights:

• local elections sort of sprout up in the hundreds overnight, it seems, sometimes, and are often not retrieved
• seems, sometimes, and uh are<01:23:55.199><c> often</c><01:23:55.520><c> not</c><01:23:55.760><c> retrieved
• </c> are often not retrieved by campaigns. are often not retrieved by campaigns.

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• It was dealing with an egg policy, and we would like the egg policy issues to all be together in a group
• would like the egg policy and uh we would like the egg policy issues<00:02:52.080><c> to</c><00:02:53.360
• </c> wanted a discussion on all the egg wanted a discussion on all the egg things<00:04:16.959><c> to
• </c> discussion of the egg discussion of the egg uh,<00:37:47.359><c> egg</c><00:37:48.000><c> um,</c
• </c> uh, egg um, uh, proposals. uh, egg um, uh, proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh moving to the egg briefly mention.
• </c> There's identical new revenue to the egg There's identical new revenue to the egg fund<00:20:28.880
• </c> and new revenue of $10,000 to the uh egg and new revenue of $10,000 to the uh egg fund<00:20:58.000
• </c><00:21:58.480><c> uh</c><00:21:58.640><c> program</c> egg best management practices uh program egg
• </c> now uh we talked about cutting urban egg now uh we talked about cutting urban egg grants<00:27:27.840

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> uh cost and in availability of eggs, uh cost and in availability of eggs, we<00:25:18.240><c> had
• Uh, eggs, for instance, all eggs now go through the USDA process. They're graded in a specific way.
• </c> potentially have an upgrade to the eggs potentially have an upgrade to the eggs because<00:34:45.040
• Uh eggs<00:36:22.640><c> for</c><00:36:22.800><c> instance,</c><00:36:23.280><c> all</c><00:36:23.520
• ><c> eggs</c><00:36:23.839><c> now</c><00:36:24.079><c> go</c> eggs for instance, all eggs now go eggs

Summary: The committee convened after briefly waiting for a quorum, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and then moved through several agency rule items. The Department of Transportation’s outdoor advertising rule filing was approved after staff noted the department had addressed substantive comments, though the rules had been expired since 2021 and the agency said it had been operating under statute. Members asked about a denied digital sign proposal, and DOT said that decision was based on statute rather than the rule. The Department of Safety’s administrative license suspension item was postponed with a waiver so the agency could submit conditional approval materials and resolve issues between its forms and rules. The Board of Architects item was conditionally approved, with the condition that the board later approve updated incorporation-by-reference materials at its April 3 meeting or the matter would return as a preliminary objection. The Department of Agriculture’s expired rules prompted extended discussion. Staff and committee members questioned why the department was seeking to adopt rules that had been expired for many years and whether the statutes already provided enough authority to operate without them. Agriculture officials said they were working through a broader modernization effort, focusing on statutes that use mandatory language and updating outdated rules to match current practices, federal standards, and current products such as apples, cider, eggs, and other agricultural commodities. They said the rules before the committee were part of that effort and recommended approval, but members remained concerned about whether some rules were unnecessary. The committee ultimately granted a waiver and postponed the agriculture item for one month so staff could review the underlying statutes and determine whether rulemaking is actually required. Under other business, the committee took up an emergency Department of Safety rule to update DMV forms to reflect statutory fee changes enacted in the 2025 budget. DMV officials said the new fees were already in effect, but the corresponding forms still showed old amounts, causing confusion for customers and elected officials who were fielding complaints. They argued the forms needed immediate updating because the affected forms are widely used, and they said the department had already tried to treat the changes as editorial before being told full rulemaking was required. The department emphasized it was trying to follow the process while avoiding continued use of incorrect fee forms, and asked the committee to allow the emergency rule to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, you may have heard that eggs are expensive right now.
• Now, you may have heard that eggs are expensive right now.
• They were one of the reasons he got elected, because of the high egg prices and inflation.
• Egg prices have been going up.
• egg prices in<00:19:28.840><c> inflation</c><00:19:29.280><c> prices</c><00:19:29.679><c> egg</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> analyst for the Senate Egg Committee. analyst for the Senate Egg Committee.
• </c> there's savings to the Department of Egg there's savings to the Department of Egg to<00:24:24.159
• </c> 107, there's a new spending from the egg 107, there's a new spending from the egg fund<00:27:05.279
• <00:27:15.840><c> fund</c><00:27:16.080><c> of</c> egg fund of egg fund of $450,000<00:27:18.720><c>
• We're going to um allow egg person.

Summary: The Agriculture Conference Committee met for an initial organizational and comparison session on House File 2446, the agriculture broadband and rural development bill. Members introduced themselves, noted that no conference target had yet been set, and agreed to begin with a side-by-side review of House and Senate positions. No oral testimony was taken; instead, the chair listed written testimony submitted by a wide range of agricultural, environmental, local government, food bank, and industry groups. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the major funding differences. Both bills included some shared items such as operating adjustments, wolf and elk damage compensation, and certain technical changes, but they differed on several major appropriations. The House generally proposed larger increases for meat inspection, local food purchasing, and the Board of Animal Health, and added items such as county inspector grants, biofertilizer innovation, a biosolids/PFAS-related study, a soil health study, broadband installation study funding, an Agri Works program, an Agri Support program, a milk grant program, and several House-only transfers and grants. The Senate included items such as a climate coordinator position, biofuel-related reductions and policy changes, livestock processing funding, farm-to-school and urban agriculture changes, MARL funding, cottage foods licensing updates, and several Senate-only pass-through grants and transfers. Staff also noted differences in the agriculture emergency account transfer approach and in how the two bodies handled the Second Harvest Heartland and related food distribution provisions. House Research then reviewed the policy language differences in the bill. The House language included provisions allowing more flexible use of grant administration funds, unpaid prior-year claims, county inspector grants, and updates tied to its own policy article, while the Senate language included the climate coordinator, PFAS-related commercialization language, cooperative development grant permissive language, and other Senate policy changes. The committee did not take any votes or final actions at this meeting; the session was informational and focused on identifying differences for later negotiation.

Transcript Highlights:

• They retrieve their I-9 like they're already doing.

Bills: HB3725 , HB3260 , HB3660 , HB3369 , HB3370

Committee: House Business

Keywords: labor, e-verification, immigration, employers, employment eligibility, Department of Labor, penalties, funeral licensing, continuing education, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, professional development, licensing requirements, HB3660, natural organic reduction, human composting, soil reduction, green burial, funeral services, cremation, burial permit