Transcript Highlights:

• The DMV handles complex programs like commercial vehicles or identity protection, all kinds of information
• RS 32834 is a proof-of-identity bill, just trying to clean up and get some uniform standards.
• So it just kind of uniforms all that and puts it together.

Summary: The committee first approved the January 20 minutes without objection. It then received a lengthy update from Idaho Transportation Department Director Scott Stokes, who described ITD’s responsibilities, staffing, budget sources, major highway and bridge projects, winter maintenance, DMV and aeronautics services, and the department’s safety and innovation efforts. He emphasized the department’s focus on operating, preserving, restoring, and expanding the transportation system, and answered questions about funding growth, freeway and work-zone safety, emergency repairs, and workforce needs. Members then considered several RS drafts for introduction. RS 32984 would eliminate the requirement to display vehicle registration stickers, with the sponsor citing reduced cost and redundancy; it was introduced. RS 32869 would allow parents to teach driver’s education even in urban districts, restoring flexibility after prior changes; it was introduced after discussion about safety and possible fiscal effects tied to Idaho Digital Learning Alliance enrollment costs. RS 32834 would consolidate proof-of-identity and DMV registration processes for out-of-state customers; it was introduced. The committee also heard RS 32841 C1, a cleanup bill to streamline distribution of vehicle registration fees and taxes and to raise the annual transfer for local bridge inspections from $175,000 to $300,000 to help draw down federal matching funds. After questions about the funding flow and match requirements, the committee voted to introduce the measure. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we are getting a pretty uniform answer from the DOJ right now, which is that it is too early for
• Attorney General, I'm obviously in a very different posture than our brave men and women in uniform,
• A trooper—and the trooper can tell—that's what they do, or commercial vehicle enforcement troopers.

Committee: Senate Border Security

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One suggestion was to require parents to complete a uniform family law education seminar or course in
• So to keep things uniform with deadlines and stuff like that, we talked through all of those.
• So to keep things uniform with deadlines and stuff like that, we talked through all of those.
• So now we have something more uniform for parties to do.
• But we don't have really a uniform way of doing the motions.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time. The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation. The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable. On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do require mixed use in our commercial zones because the loss of this valuable commercial space could
• We do require mixed use in our commercial zones because the loss of this valuable commercial space could
• Commercial and retail are important parts of complete communities.
• Kirkland supports housing and commercial zones.
• in growing commercial nodes.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and Administrative Code.
• The rules in the code are the rules we enforce.
• But what the American Law Institute did, who publishes the Uniform Commercial Code, the Restatement of
• Contracts, the Model Penal Code, and the model codes that states should follow, they say here's...
• The Restatement of Contracts, the Model Penal Code, the model codes that states should follow.

Committees: Joint Judiciary , Joint Judiciary Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• now, and Madam President, I'm sure that you were discussing not only literacy, but its nexus to the Uniform
• Commercial Code and health care financing.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A licensed professional that violates these requirements is subject to discipline under the Uniform Disciplinary
• Licensed therapists are bound by ethical codes, scope of practice laws, confidentiality requirements,
• We ran tens of thousands of tests on commercial chatbots, including ChatGPT.

Bills: HB2564 , HB2599 , HB1809 , HB2242 , HB2261 , HB2384 , HB2505

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, certification, state regulation, health plan, therapy, psychotherapy, mental health, regulation, professional standards, behavioral health, mental health crisis, crisis response, co-response, co-responder, first responder, EMS, emergency medical services, paramedic, EMT

Transcript Highlights:

• A licensed professional that violates these requirements is subject to discipline under the Uniform Disciplinary
• Licensed therapists are bound by ethical codes, scope of practice laws, confidentiality requirements,
• We ran tens of thousands of tests on commercial chatbots, including ChatGPT.

Summary: The House Health Care & Wellness Committee held public hearings on HB 2564 and HB 2599, then moved into executive session on several bills. HB 2599, which would restrict the use of AI in therapy and psychotherapy services, drew strong support from the prime sponsor, mental health professional groups, a privacy advocate, and an AI ethics researcher, all of whom warned that chatbots can mislead users, encourage delusions or self-harm, and lack licensure, accountability, and confidentiality protections. Several witnesses from health systems and telehealth organizations supported the bill’s intent but asked for narrower definitions and amendments to avoid unintended impacts on clinician-supervised tools, screening questionnaires, scribes, and other legitimate uses of AI. No vote was taken on HB 2599 during the hearing. HB 2564, which would give the Health Benefit Exchange authority to adopt market-factor certification criteria for exchange plans, was presented as a way to address affordability, bare counties, and plan duplication. Supporters included the Exchange, consumer advocates, rural and tribal representatives, navigators, and some individual consumers, who said the bill could improve access, preserve bronze plan availability, and help stabilize the market in counties with too few carriers. Opponents from health plans, Regence, Premier, and insurance producer groups argued the bill would expand exchange authority without clear standards, could reduce competition and carrier participation, and might conflict with existing OIC filing and confidentiality processes; the OIC supported the bill but requested an amendment on rate disclosure timing. The committee then moved to executive session and later reported out HB 1784, HB 2242, HB 2384, and HB 2505 with due pass recommendations, while deferring action on HB 1809 and HB 2261. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute for HB 1784 on certified medical assistants by an 18-0 vote, adopted one amendment and passed a substitute for HB 2242 on preventive services and immunization recommendations by an 11-7 vote, and passed a substitute for HB 2384 on actuarial reviews for continuing care retirement communities by a 16-2 vote. It also adopted an amendment and passed a substitute for HB 2505 on limited adult family home licensure exemptions for certain foster family situations by an 18-0 vote. The meeting adjourned after those actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It changes a reference in the title from law enforcement personnel to uniformed personnel.
• And so we are looking to expand this to commercial and to take away the sunset.
• This helps small businesses who inadvertently file a report early and use some wrong codes, and then

Bills: SB5847 , SB6067 , SB6136 , SB6014 , SB5972 , SB5869 , SB5874 , SB6058 , SB6039 , SB5944 , SB6188

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: workers' compensation, industrial insurance, injured workers, medical provider network, occupational health, occupational medicine, medical care access, L&I, Department of Labor and Industries, self-insured employers, state fund claims, utilization review, provider credentialing, provider network, treatment guidelines, evidence-based medicine, claims management, claims managers, temporary total disability, permanent partial disability

Transcript Highlights:

• It changes a reference in the title from law enforcement personnel to uniformed personnel.
• And so we are looking to expand this to commercial and to take away the sunset.
• This helps small businesses who inadvertently file a report early and use some wrong codes and then they're

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6136, which would require Labor and Industries to publish actuarial indicated workers’ compensation rates for each risk class and disclose when rate increases are capped below those indicated levels. The sponsor and supporters from the hospitality, retail, business, and construction sectors said the bill would improve transparency about how rates are set and how reserve funds and investment earnings are used to hold down premiums. L&I testified that the bill would require publication of a large amount of rate-setting information, but said it was already developed in the normal process and that the bill had no fiscal impact. Questions focused on reserve use, advisory committee involvement, and how the actuarial calculations interact with investment returns. The committee then moved to executive session and took action on several bills, adopting substitutes or amendments and advancing bills including SB 5292, 6014, 5972, 5869, 5874, 6058, 6039, 5944, and 6180, with most sent to Rules and SB 5292 sent to Ways and Means. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5847, which would expand injured workers’ access to medical care by allowing treatment outside the L&I provider network when no provider is available nearby, limiting employer steering to specific providers, shortening utilization review timelines, allowing provider deviation from L&I guidelines when medically appropriate, and expanding continued treatment and cancer monitoring. Labor and worker advocates argued the bill would better reflect the Murray decision and reduce delays in care, while L&I and employer groups said the current evidence-based guideline system works for most claims and warned the bill could weaken quality controls, create vague standards, and increase costs. Testimony also raised concerns about the 15-mile access rule, the employer communication restrictions, and the appeal process for provider removal. The sponsor said the goal was to improve individualized care and continue working with stakeholders. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6067, which would change workers’ compensation time-loss calculations so that 100% of the employer-paid health insurance contribution is included in the benefit calculation instead of the current partial inclusion. Supporters said the bill would help injured workers keep health coverage during recovery and reduce pressure to choose between medical care and income, while opponents argued it would not guarantee the money is actually used for health insurance, could be diverted to other uses or attorney fees, and would significantly increase costs for employers and the accident fund. L&I said the bill would require IT and administrative changes and estimated substantial ongoing benefit costs. The hearing ended without further action on SB 6067, and the chair closed the session after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee on State Affairs HB 3881 by Lilani relating to the parking of a commercial motor vehicle in
• HB 3924 bylaws and ruling the open carrying of a handgun by a uniformed school marshal worked for the
• HB 3966 by Morales of Harris relating to requiring owners or operators of commercial passenger bus services
• Continents amending the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act for the Committee on Judiciary and Civil

Transcript Highlights:

• These policies are sometimes described as spending through the tax code.
• Representative Lee said that, to him, there seemed to be some uniformity: if you make three times as
• the legislature intended. uniformity, right?
• Like if you make uniformity, right?
• Um I just think through the tax code.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:23:26.799><c> with</c> problem, but the updated code with problem, but the updated code with
• ><00:26:42.799><c> residential</c><00:26:43.360><c> code</c> building code and the residential code building
• code and the residential code correct<00:26:44.480><c> errors</c><00:26:44.880><c> in</c><00:26:45.200
• </c> coordination with the fire code issues. coordination with the fire code issues.
• House Bill 134 is the one we just heard, and this is on the code building code.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or whatever that blockchain or the code or whatever that part<00:55:47.440><c> is.
• This was adopted in 1970, creating the tax code; they gave the carve-out.
• But I think at the legislature, it is our job to revisit and look at tax code.
• But I code they gave the carve out.
• And I to revisit and look at tax code.

Bills: HB2117 , HB2155 , HB1832 , HB1601 , HB2297 , HB2397 , HB1893 , HB2533 , HB1890 , HB2004 , HB1810 , HB2323 , HB1691 , HB1671 , HB2619 , HB1481 , HB2314 , HB2319 , HB2214 , HB2488 , HB2009 , HB2007 , HB1964 , HB2218 , HB1535 , HB1977 , HB2054 , HB2046 , HB146 , HB2094 , HB2181 , HB2515 , HB2444 , HB2385 , HB1724 , HB1733 , HB2416 , HB2001 , HB1603 , HB1753 , HB2140 , HB1962 , HB1963 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1960 , HB2293 , HB2288 , HB1752 , HB1573 , HB469 , HB2091 , HB1851 , HB1688 , HB1696 , HB2417 , HB2375 , HB2333 , HB2152 , HB1881 , HB2395 , HB1721 , HB1921 , HB1730 , HB1697 , HB1824 , HB2282 , HB2078 , HB2321 , HB2279 , HB1522 , HB2097 , HB2433 , HB2106 , HB2274 , HB2452 , HB1764 , HB2438 , HB1860 , HB2604 , HB2118 , HB2017 , HB2216 , HB1934 , HB2454 , HB2427 , HB2207 , HB1840 , HB1644 , HB1645 , HB1946 , HB1648 , HB2324 , HB1509 , HB1514 , HB1515 , HB2164 , HB2165 , HB2283 , HB2386

Keywords: arts education, data mapping, task force, creative economy, cultural preservation, workforce development, geographic information systems, agriculture, data collection, statistical program, sustainable practices, Hawaii, aquaculture, biosecurity, food security, sustainable seafood, regulatory framework, interagency coordination, environmental stewardship, invasive species

Transcript Highlights:

• Title 58, Idaho Code, by the edition of a new Chapter 16, Title 58, Idaho Code, to establish provisions
• 2, Title 56, Idaho Code, to establish provisions regarding retroactive, 281, Idaho Code, to establish
• Amending Chapter 26, Idaho Code, by the edition of the news section 67-26-16, Idaho Code, to provide
• Amending Chapter 55, Title 33, Idaho Code, by the addition of a new section 33-5050303, Idaho Code, to
• This is a code cleanup bill related to transportation. It's repealing 11 sections of code.

Summary: The House opened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous journal, then received gubernatorial and Senate messages and committee reports. Several new Ways and Means bills were introduced, including measures on managed recreation on endowment land, large electrical loads, Medicaid eligibility and work requirements, DOPL rulemaking and fees, daily recess in schools, rural health transformation, AI regulatory review, and Idaho Digital Learning Academy changes. The House also advanced a number of bills and memorials to the third-reading calendar and suspended rules to take up House Bill 893, a codifier cleanup bill, which passed unanimously on a voice-style roll call. The House then considered a series of Senate bills and House bills. Senate Bill 1255, dealing with involuntary commitment procedures on tribal reservations and recognizing tribal health facilities and tribal police officers, passed. Senate Bill 1257, which clarifies child protection and foster-care visitation rules in cases involving serious abuse, also passed. House Bill 803, expanding confidentiality protections for personnel involved in firing-squad executions, passed after debate over transparency and due process. Senate Bill 1293, correcting an unintended effect of prior public-benefits legislation on crime victims’ compensation, passed; Senate Bill 1308, a technical mediation cleanup bill, passed; House Bill 508, concerning roadway enhancement funds and consultant coverage, passed; Senate Bill 1272, a transportation code cleanup bill, passed; and Senate Bill 1309, clarifying restitution priority in juvenile cases, passed. Several bills drew more substantial debate and were defeated. Senate Bill 1271, which would have directed the Department of Agriculture to coordinate data collection and an abatement plan for invasive rats in southwest Idaho, failed after members split over whether it was a statewide issue or a local problem and whether it would expand government or create future costs. Senate Bill 1340, a left-lane driving bill that would have required slower traffic to move right and funded signage, also failed amid concerns about road conditions, enforcement, and confusion on multi-lane highways. Senate Concurrent Resolution 120, urging changes to Idaho’s nuclear waste agreement to support used nuclear fuel reprocessing and broader nuclear development, passed after a sharp debate over whether it would help Idaho’s energy future or weaken protections against long-term waste storage. The House also passed Senate Bill 1296, updating criminal trespass law to address disruptions at houses of worship, and Senate Bill 1325, creating a white specialty license plate to support Project Choice. Later, the House approved Senate Bill 1269 on cloud seeding transparency and liability, despite objections about consent, data, and liability protections. After the day’s business, the House announced upcoming committee meetings, returned House Bill 880 to the Transportation Committee, and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, the proposed committee amendments reinstate the requirement that certain personnel be uniformed
• In today's political climate, intimidation does not always come in the form of a marked uniform.
• That's the Government Code, Section 26602.
• For example, the Elections Code provision in the new 1507 prohibits a peace officer from, quote, interfering
• The code is clear on that front, and no one, including law enforcement, can take those ballots.

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, it addresses provisions of the Uniform Business Organization Code, which provides general rules
• House Bill 2158 amends the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts and adopts three updates drafted by the
• Uniform Law Commission.
• bill does is it provides for the electronic notarization of tangible documents, by request of the Uniform

Bills: HB2248 , HB2158 , HB2178

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: corporate filings, secretary of state, business entity filings, annual reports, foreign corporation, domestic corporation, nonprofit corporation, registered agent, trademark assignment, charities division, entity registration, foreign registration, ministerial filing duty, filing refusal, international student exchange, exchange visitor placement organization, doing business in Washington, remote worker, branch campus, notary certification

Transcript Highlights:

• I was in Utah recently, and what some of the commercial establishments are doing because they have the
• SB 1036 will create a uniform policy that clarifies that impact fees should only be paid on the new impact

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard several bills related to local government finance and development. SB 1005 would authorize local agencies to adopt a five-cent rounding system for cash transactions if penny shortages make exact change impractical, with the author and supporters from county treasurers, cities, special districts, and local government associations arguing it would provide legal clarity and reduce costs. SB 1036 would require local jurisdictions to give credit for prior site uses when calculating mitigation fees on redevelopment or adaptive reuse projects, with supporters from SPUR, Realtors, AARP, the building industry, and housing-related groups saying it would prevent duplicative fees and better align charges with new impacts only.

Transcript Highlights:

• For retail and commercial growth in the future.
• Those commercial spaces.
• We do require mixed use in our commercial zones because the loss of this valuable commercial space could
• Kirkland supports housing in commercial zones.
• in growing commercial nodes.

Bills: SB6294 , SB6211 , SB5650 , SB6033 , SB6297 , SB6343 , SB6067 , SB6082 , SB6323 , SB6324 , SB5862 , SB5923 , SB6151

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Transcript Highlights:

• They would remind all residents that women and men in a blue uniform willingly accept a dangerous profession
• than just a symbol; it is a recognition of the deep sacrifices made not only by those who wear the uniforms
• It is a recognition of the deep sacrifices made not only by those who wear the uniform, but also by the
• A similar standard exists in the commercial airline industry.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on 31 bills covering driver privacy and data, distinctive license plates, public awareness signage, railroad safety, superload permitting, TNC/delivery data reporting, and MBTA safety measures. Chairs Jim Arciero and Brendan Crighton outlined the hearing process, and the committee heard testimony from state officials, advocates, family members of fallen officers and firefighters, transportation industry representatives, civil liberties groups, and others. No votes were taken during the hearing itself, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn. Several speakers supported bills creating a Blue Star Family license plate to honor families of fallen law enforcement officers, and a separate motorcycle plate for fallen firefighters. Colonel Jeffrey Noble and others from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and law enforcement groups said the plates would complement existing memorial practices and provide a lasting public tribute. Family members of officers killed in the line of duty gave emotional testimony in support, and Representative Steve Ultrino and Paul Jakes backed the firefighter memorial motorcycle plate as revenue-neutral, with proceeds supporting the fallen firefighter memorial. The committee also heard testimony on transportation policy and safety bills. Industry witnesses urged modernization of Massachusetts superload permitting rules, saying current requirements are slower and more expensive than neighboring states and delay public projects. Advocates supported a human trafficking awareness bill requiring hotline signage in transit facilities, a driver privacy bill limiting automatic license plate reader data retention and sharing, and a bill requiring two-person crews on freight trains and other railroad safety measures such as hotbox detectors and transportation for railroad employees. Senator John Keenan also testified for expanded naloxone availability in MBTA stations and said the MBTA had not fully complied with prior legislative directives.