Transcript Highlights:

• Item 24, Amend Writer 54 Mobile STEM Lab Grant Program, adopted.
• Item 25, Amend Writer 55, Blended Learning Grant Program, adopted as amended.
• Amend Writer 61 Strong Foundations Grant Program, adopted. 29.
• Item number 13, Rural Economic Development Grant, Texas Rural Business Fund Program.
• Grant Program, adopted at $5 million. Turning to page 8.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> from the Department of Army G4 grant. from the Department of Army G4 grant.
• The committee was told there are six Clean Water Program grant reallocations and one EKSF grant reallocation
• She said the grants include three Clean Water Program grants from round one of the program appropriated
• She added that there are also three grants: one sewer grant requesting reallocation and two grants supporting
• </c> under this grant? under this grant?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee met on July 16 and approved the June meeting minutes. Members received six information items, including quarterly capital project status reports, notice that the committee did not approve a Kentucky Community and Technical College System fire academy maintenance building project, reports of upcoming school district debt issues, leasehold improvements, a Northern Kentucky University asset preservation revision, and prior debt issues from the School Facilities Construction Commission. The committee then heard five project reports from the Finance and Administration Cabinet. Three new projects were presented for action and approved: a $1.3 million White Haven rest area renovation in Paducah, a $6.5 million Boone County north- and southbound rest area remodel and expansion to add truck parking, and a $4.5 million Bluegrass Station Building 14 modernization project funded by a Department of the Army grant. Members asked several questions about the Boone County rest area project, including truck congestion, restroom capacity, staffing, and the need to keep the facility open during construction; Transportation staff explained the project is meant to expand parking and improve facilities. Two emergency projects were reported with no action required: an amended Fort Boonboro flood remediation project in Madison County and a Kentucky Horse Park emergency flood repair project. The committee also approved three new leases after hearing from the Division of Real Properties. The leases included Department of Corrections parking spaces in Louisville, a Kentucky State Police office and lab lease in Hopkins County, and an Education and Labor Cabinet lease in Kenton County that was negotiated at a lower rate. Members asked about lease terms and how local match or negotiated rates were set, and staff explained that lease lengths are generally set by lessors and that the Kenton County lease was reduced through direct negotiation to stay within budget. A separate lease modification for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, involving reception-area renovations, was reported with no action required. Finally, the committee considered seven grant reallocations from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, including six Clean Water Program grants and one EKSF-related reallocation. Members questioned whether some flood-related water infrastructure work, especially an Olive Branch subdivision storage tank project, fit the intended purpose of the funding; staff explained the reallocations were needed to keep federal dollars from being returned and to move funds to eligible projects. The committee initially failed to approve the package on a 4-4 vote, but after a member noted a missed vote and changed to yes, the grants passed with favorable expression. The committee then began hearing three Kentucky Product Development Initiative grants for industrial site development in Russell County, Cumberland County, and Berea/Madison County, with members asking about match requirements, funding sources, and the scope of the projects; the transcript ends during the roll call on those grants.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll allow DHS and the applicants to this grant program more time to make sure that they can prove out
• </c> DHS and the applicants to this grant DHS and the applicants to this grant program<00:08:51.360><
• . grants will help of senior programming. grants will help community<00:35:25.280><c> leaders</c><00:
• Um, this is an EIDBI autism training program grant to Mangar Voices.
• This extends the availability of supported decision-making program grants.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this program was initially funded by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
• can have that program.
• program also?
• We have a grant that is known as the Native American Career in Technical Education program through the
• We also don't have an adult-based education program. We lost that grant.

Transcript Highlights:

• Title VI of the Indian Education Formula Grants Program at DOE represents a significant federal investment
• Programs like the Native American Language Grants or the Alaska Native Education Program, which we call
• , programs, programs with tribal set-asides, and broader programs that tribal nations are eligible for
• Native entities began to receive education grants to develop and implement culture-based programming
• Education Grant Program, too, how we're, we are... addressing that achievement gap between native and

Keywords: Native education, Department of Education, federal funding, testimony, treaty obligations, public schools, educational policies, Indigenous students

Summary: The meeting focused on the responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education towards Native students, highlighting the importance of federal education programs that satisfy treaty obligations to Native communities. Various witnesses testified about the impact of educational policies designed to support Native students who primarily attend public schools. Concerns were voiced over recent proposals that could potentially undermine these programs, citing the role of federal funding in ensuring successful educational outcomes for Native youth. The chair of the committee emphasized the need for continued federal support and attention to the unique educational challenges faced by Indigenous populations.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's an update to a grant program that allows for a school to take on building a home with support
• on loans, that money must go back into the program.
• </c> grants management practices. grants management practices.
• We also modify the building the program.
• And this is so that those on the program could potentially stay on this program if their income were

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Educators of Color Grant and the mentoring and retention program grants.
• and the mentoring and retention Grant and the mentoring and retention program<00:53:35.280><c> grants
• </c> through 13 transfer two key Grant through 13 transfer two key Grant programs<00:57:05.599><c> to
• </c><00:57:26.799><c> programs</c> overseeing all of those Grant programs overseeing all of those Grant
• and one additional both those two grants and one additional grant<00:57:35.039><c> program</c><00:57

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> with the cooperative purchasing program with the cooperative purchasing program which<00:04:01.519
• </c><01:49:52.239><c> So</c> not getting their grant money. So not getting their grant money.
• </c> grant money. grant money.
• Um, adequacy<02:03:22.000><c> grants,</c> adequacy grants, adequacy grants, if<02:03:23.679><c> that's
• </c> capacity disparity grants. capacity disparity grants.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Actually, it's not unusual to end a program or start a new program based on need.
• </c> to end a program or start a new program to end a program or start a new program based<00:39:22.040
• We've been able to build some new programs, expand some new programs.
• </c><01:25:34.159><c> programs</c><01:25:34.600><c> to</c><01:25:34.760><c> support</c> a number of Grant
• programs to support a number of Grant programs to support early<01:25:35.639><c> childhood</c><01:25

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee received an orientation from University System of New Hampshire Chancellor Katherine Preventure and Senior Director of Government Relations Lauren Banker on the system’s enrollment, finances, workforce role, and academic programs. They described the system as consisting of UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State, with about 23,000 students, $928 million in FY24 operating expenses, a $3.7 billion economic impact, and UNH’s R1 research status. They emphasized the system’s role in graduating students into the New Hampshire workforce, its statewide Cooperative Extension and regional campus presence, and its alignment of degree offerings with top occupations identified by New Hampshire Employment Security. The presentation also highlighted partnerships with businesses, internships, and collaboration with the community college system, including 100 transfer pathways and a direct-admit program. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on tuition, state support, and student costs. The chancellor said the state invested $95 million in FY25, with about $81 million used to reduce resident tuition and about $14 million for statutory programs such as Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station. She said the state subsidy is about $7,300 per New Hampshire student, and that resident net tuition averages about $7,000, while nonresident net tuition averages about $16,600. She provided published tuition figures for UNH, Plymouth State, and Keene State, and explained that resident tuition has been held flat for five years while financial aid has increased, reducing average net tuition and fees for New Hampshire students from about $10,500 in 2020 to $9,800. Members asked for clarification on how residency and workforce-retention percentages were calculated, and the chancellor said she would follow up. Members also asked about comparisons with peer institutions, housing and meal costs, research funding, and the reasons for declining enrollment and staffing reductions. The chancellor said peer comparisons were based on flagship universities for UNH and smaller regional publics for Plymouth and Keene, and noted that out-of-state tuition has risen about 2.5% annually. She said housing for a UNH double room is $8,536 and a meal plan is $5,100, and offered to provide a consolidated cost document. On research, she said the system’s direct research spending includes federal funding and that indirect costs were about $34 million last year, with a follow-up promised on the federal/state and direct/indirect split. She attributed enrollment declines largely to demographics and said the system is responding by reducing costs, selling buildings, exiting leases, moving the system office to NHTI, and implementing Workday. She also noted that Plymouth received approval for five three-year bachelor’s degree programs and that members praised the shorter, workforce-focused pathways, especially for manufacturing and other in-demand fields.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs are classrooms in childare programs are closed. closed. closed.
• </c> previous program. previous program.
• Without the child care workforce grants, the main way for programs to afford, retain, and recruit is
• </c> localized programs. localized programs.
• workforce grants, the main way<00:39:04.000><c> for</c><00:39:04.240><c> programs</c><00:39:04.720><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And our Community Challenge grant program funds exactly those types of quick-action projects.
• program.
• We have programs—virtually all of our federally funded programs have fraud, waste, and abuse program
• , program.
• program.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee first approved the minutes from its January 21 and January 22, 2026 meetings. It then heard a presentation from AARP Idaho on aging issues, focusing on the growing 50-plus population, caregiving, fraud and scams targeting older adults, housing and health care affordability, and the importance of policies that support aging in place. AARP urged lawmakers to consider age-friendly planning and noted its community grant program and fraud education efforts, including scam-jam events and outreach with law enforcement. The committee next received a detailed update from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on program integrity, fraud, waste, and abuse prevention. She described efforts to build a department-wide culture of compliance, including a new fraud, waste, and abuse policy, an anonymous reporting line, standardized staff training, and a new impact-review process for evaluating whether programs and contracts are effective. She also outlined existing teams for internal audit, welfare fraud investigations, Medicaid provider fraud, and self-reliance integrity, and said the department is working to improve data tracking, reporting, and recovery of overpayments. A major focus of the discussion was the Idaho Child Care Program, where DHW is conducting a 360-degree review of 775 providers after concerns about compliance and fraud. Sharon said the department has terminated nine providers so far, with more under investigation, and is seeking additional staff and legislative changes to codify the program and strengthen requirements such as Secretary of State registration. Senators also asked about recovery of overpayments, public access to fraud reports, Medicaid fraud recovery rates, and the use of technology and AI to improve oversight. No votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• throughout the state and kind of give them options where to get those programs and which programs to
• throughout the state and kind of give them options where to get those programs and which programs to
• We've also been working on the ARPA grant. We've also been working on the ARPA grant.
• So I think we're in great shape on that grant.
• And then we have the ARPA grant and the Rapid Response Grant that we're using to support the projects

Keywords: 914, all

Summary: The meeting opened with routine business: confirmation of Open Meetings Act compliance, roll call, approval of the prior minutes, and no public comment. The main presentation was a detailed update on OK WIRE and a new workforce-gap validation model. Staff described moving from a simple job-posting approach to a four-factor method using wage growth, time-to-fill, occupation growth relative to the state average, and the ratio of postings to existing jobs. Examples were given for registered nurses, industrial occupations, software developers, and accountants to show how the model would identify validated workforce shortages or areas needing only monitoring. The team said the new dashboard would be added to the existing OK WIRE system, include links to training programs, and be completed by the end of August without additional cost under the current vendor contract. An agency report followed, covering the work of 929 Strategies on a 30-60-90 day plan, office relocation, contract terminations, grant administration, and budget cleanup. Staff said they had moved out of Film Row, were temporarily in Denver Davidson, and would move into permanent space in the Jim Thorpe building in October. They also discussed the rapid response grant, ARPA grant spending, and a planned data tool to support layoffs response and rural health workforce planning, including work with the Healthcare Workforce Training Commission and health partners. The board then voted to enter executive session under the cited Oklahoma statutes to discuss employee evaluations, possible salary increases, and confidential legal/operational matters. After returning, the board thanked staff for their budget work, decided not to hold the July 9 meeting, and adjourned, planning to resume discussion at the August meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, and would allow... ...farmers and ranchers in the application process for the grant programs
• grant programs, many farmers do not have the labor... ...private grant writers who can help them access
• grant programs.
• Last year, some researchers from Cal Poly SLO did an independent program evaluation of CDFA's programs
• We are accepting our committee amendments to the completion date of the Farm Research Grant Program to

Summary: The Assembly Agriculture Committee met as a subcommittee at first because a quorum was not yet present, then adopted its committee rules for the 2025-2026 legislative session by a 5-0 vote. The committee heard a series of agriculture-related bills, with most measures receiving broad support and moving forward. AB 1142 by Assemblymember Hoover would raise the fee thresholds for small public horse events that are exempt from equine medication monitoring rules; supporters said the current limits are outdated and hurt small riding clubs, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 411 by Assemblymember Papin would allow ranchers to compost livestock carcasses on-farm; supporters cited cost, environmental, and predator-control benefits, while rendering industry representatives asked for amendments to protect existing services and limit the bill’s scope. The bill passed to Natural Resources. AB 482 by Assemblymember Solache would modernize the California Table Grape Commission law and raise assessment caps without increasing assessments themselves; it passed to Appropriations. AB 312 by Vice Chair Alanis would shorten the holding period for ag theft property from six months to three months; it also passed to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 937 and AB 947 by Assemblymember Connolly. AB 937 would make technical changes to the Organic Transition Pilot Program to improve access to organic transition support, with testimony from a farmer who said the program helped him pursue organic certification; the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 947 would expand and refine technical assistance under the Healthy Soils/Climate Smart Agriculture programs, including training, grant writing, matching funds coordination, equipment sharing, and outcome monitoring; supporters said the changes would help small and organic producers access state climate programs, and it also passed to Appropriations. AB 1486, presented by the chair, would use Proposition 4 funding to start grants for public postsecondary agricultural research farms focused on climate resiliency; members praised the role of CSU and UC research farms, and the bill passed to Natural Resources as amended. The most extensive discussion centered on AB 928 by Assemblymember Rogers, the California Cockfighting Cruelty Act. Supporters argued the bill would help law enforcement target cockfighting and rooster trafficking, reduce avian disease risks, and protect public health and animal welfare; opponents, including poultry hobbyists, breeders, and 4-H-related participants, said it would overreach into lawful poultry keeping and harm heritage-breed and youth programs, urging instead that cockfighting penalties be increased to a felony. Committee members echoed concerns about unintended impacts on legitimate poultry owners and requested continued work on exemptions and language. The bill passed to Judiciary on a 5-2-1 vote, with one no vote and one abstention, and the chair noted that further committee review would continue as the bill advances.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> your program your program um<00:15:01.160><c> Choose</c><00:15:01.639><c> Love</c><00:15:01.959>
• </c> what is that sure so that was a program what is that sure so that was a program um<00:15:07.759>
• </c> of formal formal training programs of formal formal training programs within<00:22:55.240><c> the
• </c> increases for any of the programs increases for any of the programs so<00:29:00.120><c> um</c><00
• What is the Fast Forward program?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Committee’s Division 3 held a public work session on the Behavioral Health budget on February 27, 2025. The chair opened by explaining the schedule, materials, and deadlines for the budget process, and noted there would be no motions or votes in the division that day. Division of Behavioral Health Director Ktia Fox and DHHS CFO Nathan White then walked the committee through the division’s mission, structure, and budget materials, describing the division’s four bureaus: Mental Health Services, Children’s Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homeless Services, along with the policy unit. They emphasized the division’s role in oversight, technical assistance, quality assurance, contracting, and the continuum of care from prevention and early intervention through crisis and residential services. Much of the discussion focused on major programs and funding lines, including the 988 Lifeline contract with Headrest, a technical assistance contract with UNH, Medicaid pass-through payments to New Hampshire Hospital and Glencliff, crisis response services, cold-weather homeless responses, housing supports, and the children’s system of care. Members asked about the UNH contract, the 988 program, crisis stabilization centers, and the peer certification program; Fox explained that the peer certification is a training-and-credentialing pathway for people with lived experience to enter community-based behavioral health work, not a volunteer program. The committee also discussed the “Choose Love” program, which Fox said was created after the Sandy Hook tragedy to build resilience and strength-based emotional regulation in schools and communities. On the children’s side, Fox described the system of care account as the place where many contracted services are budgeted, including community mental health centers, care management entities, rapid response services, and residential programs. Members asked about temporary staffing, and Fox said roughly $500,000 in temporary staff costs shown in the current year would not be spent next year because the money came from a nonlapsing appropriation in HB 1573 for oversight of children’s residential services. She also said provider rate increases were a prioritized need but were not funded in the governor’s current budget, and that the Children’s Behavioral Health Resource Center was not funded, resulting in about a $1 million reduction. The session ended while the division was still moving through the children’s behavioral health slides, including questions about the Fast Forward high-fidelity wraparound program and medication management.

Transcript Highlights:

• grant program uh but limits for the lead grant program uh but there's<00:10:22.959><c> still</c><00:
• c> per</c> the Federal grant program is 177,000 per the Federal grant program is 177,000 per unit<00:
• </c> Champions program and that grant program Champions program and that grant program is<00:33:51.399
• the</c><04:27:47.319><c> the</c> different Grant programs and um the the different Grant programs and
• grant program uh we local government uh grant program uh we have<05:15:54.440><c> to</c><05:15:54.600

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• equipment grants.
• Chair. through matching grants, equipment through matching grants, equipment grants,<00:02:29.800><c>
• ><c> through</c> grants, and block grants, and through grants, and block grants, and through this<00:
• </c> an increase in those grants. an increase in those grants.
• The program enterprise contract program.

Bills: HF1458, HF2063, HF2164, HF1377, HF927, HF1059, HF1910, HF2232

Keywords: CPA, certified public accountant, public accounting, accountancy, licensure, license mobility, substantial equivalency, interstate practice, out-of-state accountant, NASBA, Uniform CPA Examination, board of accountancy, attest services, audit, tax preparation, financial advisory, consulting, accounting education, master's degree, bachelor's degree

Transcript Highlights:

• It also will help create local government ability to get grants through this program.
• And then the counties, through grant programs, would be able to receive the commodities and services
• And it also will help to create a local government ability to get grants through this program.
• And then they would, the counties through grant programs would be able to receive the commodities and
• programs through the water management districts.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government heard and reported favorably several bills. CS/SB 800 would increase penalties for repeated unlicensed engineering practice and create an engineering student loan assistance program funded by licensure fees and fines; Senator Sharif asked about restitution for victims, and the sponsor said the bill does not create a reimbursement mechanism. CS/SB 576 would create a local government cybersecurity protection program administered by Florida Digital Service, with state purchasing support, grant access, and data-sharing requirements; local government and cybersecurity groups waived in support. CS/SB 1078 would establish transition procedures between gubernatorial administrations, including liaisons, briefing books, office space, IT access, and access to agency records under a signed confidentiality agreement. The committee also reported favorably CS/SB 314 on payment stablecoin issuers, CS/SB 530 updating lottery operations and security rules, CS/SB 1614 giving JAC/LAC-related audit findings more enforcement effect for local governments seeking state funds, SB 990 authorizing protective cell captive insurance companies, SB 1588 beginning implementation of the prior gold-and-silver legal tender law, CS/SB 1440 adding cybersecurity-related exemptions and reporting provisions for financial institutions, and CS/SB 1568 creating a stablecoin pilot program for DFS fee payments. Several bills had support testimony from state agencies and industry groups, and some included technical or guardrail amendments that were adopted without objection. The committee also received a budget overview highlighting major funding items, including more than $350 million for Florida Forever, $738 million for Everglades restoration, more than $500 million for water quality projects outside the Everglades, $60 million for Farmers Feeding Florida, and more than $250 million for citrus recovery. Members asked questions about school lunch funding, state park improvements, land acquisition, water quality funding, gaming enforcement offices, and staffing for PERC. After the bills and budget discussion, members recorded a few affirmative votes on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• through grant programs administered by DOT.
• Program.
• The first one is grant agreements. Getting out grant Agreements to local communities.
• programs.
• Those and some of our other food programs are NIH and diversity programs.

Bills: HB1

Keywords: feed bill, legislative appropriations, legislative branch, New Mexico Legislature, general fund, legislative council service, legislative finance committee, legislative education study committee, house chief clerk, senate chief clerk, per diem, mileage, session expenses, interim committees, district staff, capitol complex, capital outlay data system, legislative processing system, redistricting, census redistricting

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> administer the program. I move adoption. administer the program. I move adoption.
• :57.359><c> program.
• . program. program.
• Scholarship granting organization.
• </c> program or Holy Name School for tuition. program or Holy Name School for tuition.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, excused absent members, and suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications. The Senate reported passage of Senate Bills 52 and 124, and several House committees reported favorable action on bills including HB 1, HB 2, HB 94, HB 246, HB 282, HB 299, HB 307, HB 519, HB 613, and HB 648. Most of those measures were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar; HB 1 and HB 307 were sent to the Rules Committee after having had two previous readings. The House then recessed briefly before returning to the orders of the day. The chamber took up HB 568, relating to public adjusters. The sponsor explained that the bill would prohibit new public adjuster licenses, allow current licensees to renew, impose conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, set a 5% fee cap, and bar public adjusters from negotiating claims, citing consumer protection concerns and legal opinions about the practice of law. After debate and a brief explanation of vote from a member citing local storm-related abuses, the House voted on roll call and passed HB 568 with one nay vote. The House then considered HB 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program. Supporters said it would allow private donations to scholarship-granting organizations to benefit Kentucky students without using state general funds, and argued it could help public, private, and homeschool families with education-related expenses. Opponents criticized the speed of the process, warned it could open the door to vouchers and charters, and argued it would mainly benefit wealthier donors while public schools remain underfunded. Members also questioned the bill’s waiver of 11th Amendment immunity and received explanations that the waiver was limited to federal-court jurisdiction over the federal program and would not create individual liability for state actors. A motion to table the bill failed with 19 votes in favor, and debate continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• These grants are highly competitive, with a bit less than a third of all grant applications being awarded
• programs.
• Our grant funding programs are built on a scoring system that directs dollars to the projects that have
• of that program.
• Last session, we approached you for a one-time grant program to help our small cities and counties address

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