Video & Transcript Research : 'labor code'

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AR

Arkansas 2026 Regular Session

JBC-SPECIAL LANGUAGE Apr 22nd, 2026

JBC-SPECIAL LANGUAGE

Transcript Highlights:
  • Farmers are actually one major repair bill plus the tax and labor away from deciding if they stay afloat
  • way we drafted the legislation, and to say really I'm at fault there, I cited a section of federal code
  • I cited a section of federal code that actually is defined as underpopulated, not underserved.
Keywords: 1204, all
TX

Texas 89th Regular

89th Legislative Session Mar 11th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • of Underwood's Law, Law's law firm. office and is the only attorney in the city who is certified in labor
  • Let's go forward leading to the requiring notice of the Attorney General on an action on the election code
  • Code, refer to the Subcommittee on State and Federal Relations, H.R. 468 by Mesa-Rureka. organizing the
Keywords: 1184, house, all
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Education Jan 27th, 2025

House Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • What staff does, it's got a number of links and resources on the backside, as well as a couple of QR codes
  • Generally, that's left to school districts and individual school personnel. personnel to code students
  • included, again, the state agency, the Legislative Finance Committee, superintendents, school boards, labor
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

MS Senate Floor - 12 February, 2026; 9:30 AM

Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Section three Mississippi Code of 1972.
  • <00:47:23.000> of seven, title 27, Mississippi Code of seven, title 27, Mississippi Code of
  • >> I don't think that I have the code >> I don't think that I have the code sections
  • 03:19:10.960> section simply bringing this code section simply bringing this code section forward
  • I yield to questions. 2672 is also code sections only. Uh this 2672 is also code sections only.
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, dispensed with the reading of the journal, committee reports, and bill titles, and heard an invocation and pledge. The early portion of the meeting focused on recognizing recipients of the 2026 Governor’s Arts Awards. The Senate adopted resolutions honoring Greg Harkins for excellence in traditional craft, Jesse Robinson for lifetime achievement in blues music, Heather Christian for excellence in music composition, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra for excellence in performing arts, and Dorothy “Dottie” Armstrong for excellence in art education. The executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission briefly thanked the senators and invited them to the evening awards ceremony. The chamber also received several announcements and introductions, including recognition of the Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologists’ Capitol Day and visiting students from several radiologic science programs. There was also mention of an out-of-order resolution commemorating the 155th anniversary of Alcorn State University, though no action on it was detailed in the excerpt. On the calendar, the Senate took up Senate Bill 2915, which concerns alcoholic beverages, native wine retail permits, and festival permits. The bill was explained as a measure to support Mississippi’s native wineries by allowing free-standing tasting rooms in different parts of the state while maintaining tax collection; a committee substitute and a friendly amendment were adopted, and the bill passed by use of the morning roll call. The Senate then began consideration of Senate Bill 2828, the Money Transmission Modernization Act, which would impose transaction fees, create a Law Enforcement 287G Program Fund, provide an income tax credit for fees paid, and revise licensing and control definitions. After objections to the usual motion, the bill was read at length, but the excerpt ends before final action on that measure.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

Fiscal Policy Apr 2nd, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • Let's take up late filed Amendment bar code 9, 3, 7, 7, 2, 6, by Senator Calatayud Senator Calatayud.
  • See we have 3 Amendment State Amendment Bar Code 8, 7, 3, 9, 8, 8, by Senator Grall Senator Grall.
  • Let's take up the lead on the code. >> 9, 6, 8, 6, 8, by Senator Simon.
  • Let's take up amendment to the Amendment bar code 1, 2, 0, 6, 5, 4, by Senator Simon.
  • Let's take up Amendment bar code 1, 1, 5, 1, a 2 by Senator Burgess.
Keywords: 999, senate, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 3/3/26

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • recognition tech, but there isn't any known way that we have are they using that sort of terrible Python code
  • Department of Labor would then not be able to permit certifications for day providers here in Minnesota
  • Department of Labor would then not be able to permit certifications for day providers here in Minnesota
  • <01:18:54.880> would<01:18:55.440> then the US Department of Labor would then the US
  • Department of Labor would then not<01:18:56.000> be<01:18:56.159> able<01:18:56.320>
Summary: The committee approved the minutes from February 24 and February 26. It then took up House File 3661, a bill originally authored by Representative Gomez and presented by Representative Feist, which would ban government use of facial recognition technology and be re-referred to the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. The committee adopted the A1 amendment, described as a technical amendment based on House Research recommendations, before hearing testimony on the bill. Representative Feist said the bill is aimed at preventing serious privacy and civil-liberties harms, including secretive surveillance, racial and gender bias, and the lack of statewide rules governing government use of facial recognition. Supportive testimony came from Chad Marlo of the ACLU, who argued the issue is bipartisan, the technology has accuracy problems, and government use is expanding against vulnerable groups. Chris Wayland of Restore the Fourth Minnesota also supported a ban, emphasizing the inability to opt out of facial recognition and the lack of standards, disclosure, and community input. Rich Newmeister urged stronger transparency measures, including agency policies and public notice in buildings using the technology. Major Spencer Baky of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office opposed an outright ban, saying facial recognition is used only as an investigative lead, not for positive identification or real-time surveillance, and that results are corroborated before use. He said the office has used the tool in hundreds of investigations and supports a statutory framework with safeguards instead of a ban. In member discussion, Representative Hudson argued a blanket ban was too broad and suggested a more targeted evidentiary approach, while Representative Moller and Representative Kurr expressed concern about misuse and the federal government's use of the technology. Representative Durant asked whether there was a current Minnesota problem and whether stakeholders and law enforcement had been involved in drafting the bill. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided, beyond adoption of the amendment and the committee’s continued consideration of HF 3661.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Capital Investment - 04/23/26

Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • of entering many, many screens of entering information<00:29:51.600> with<00:29:51.840> codes
  • > and<00:29:53.040> a<00:29:53.080> lot<00:29:53.280> of information with codes
  • and a lot of information with codes and a lot of information<00:29:53.880> needs<00:29:54.080
  • We're Minnesota's infrastructure union, representing more than 14,000 skilled construction laborers who
  • <01:09:37.120> who skilled construction laborers who skilled construction laborers who maintain
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
MD

Maryland 2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session, 3/18/2026 #2

Maryland House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • or they have something intended for you, those people who are in the intended receivers of the hard labor
  • you should have the opportunity to ensure with ease that the property and the hard work that you labored
  • House Bill 1108, labor and bill, please.
  • House Bill 1105, Statute of Limitations, Civil Suits to Enforce Local Consumer Protection Codes.
  • local consumer protection codes. local consumer protection codes.
Summary: The House convened with a quorum and then moved through messages from the Senate, introducing several Senate bills and referring them to committees. It then took up multiple third-reading calendars and considered a large number of bills across public health, criminal law, education, estates and trusts, social services, and state government. Most bills passed with broad margins, including measures on fiduciary attorney-client privilege, food labeling and prohibited ingredients, human trafficking awareness training, pharmacy prescriber-pharmacist agreements, provisional social work licensure, structural racism training funding sources, youth delinquency prevention funding, menstrual hygiene product labeling, school resource officer sexual activity prohibitions, nurse licensure enforcement, physician delegation changes, child support income definitions, AI-related child sexual abuse material, trauma-informed care resources, restrictive housing for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, open movie captioning, autism and dementia police training, gift card fraud, scholarship eligibility, retention proceeds, graduate scholarship eligibility, intercepted communications penalties, benefits for children in custody, juvenile supervision petitions, institutional debt reporting, contraception access reporting, surgical smoke evacuation systems, tax foreclosure notice requirements, special police officer study, child advocacy center standards, victim notification at charging, human trafficking reporting, drug dispensing cost surveys, school board nominating commission changes, the Henrietta Lacks Commission, ID card photograph requirements, and several others. A few bills drew substantive floor discussion. House Bill 963 on appointment of personal representatives was supported as a way to help families and heirs access assets, including in cross-border situations. House Bill 877 on institutional debt reporting prompted debate over whether the bill was useful and whether it would burden colleges; supporters said it would create needed aggregate data and a data dictionary to better understand debt incurred directly from institutions. House Bill 1076 on over-the-counter contraception access and reporting was clarified as a reporting measure that harmonizes prior reporting requirements and does not use taxpayer funds to purchase contraception, though grants had supported vending machine installation. House Bill 288 on extending a state of emergency for schools was explained as applying to natural disasters, civil disasters, public health emergencies, or specific security threats, with one member expressing concern about state involvement and learning loss from prolonged closures. House Bill 746 on the Medicaid/health insurance collaborative care model was briefly delayed by a computer issue, then passed after a short pause. Several members announced vote changes after the roll calls, including corrections on House Bills 65, 771, 769, 900, 1058, 1076, 1490, 1540, and 1554. Final actions on the floor were overwhelmingly favorable to the bills considered, with only a handful of measures drawing notable negative votes, including House Bills 410, 963, 1042, 1058, 1076, 1152, 1540, and 1554. The House also passed a number of local and policy bills with strong bipartisan support, and no amendments or motions to postpone were recorded in the excerpt.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/4/25

State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • state employees, including delivering annual required training to all employees on things like the code
  • over several days, including ethics, internal controls, performance management, conflict resolution, labor
  • ethics<00:04:16.199> conflicts<00:04:16.600> of<00:04:16.880> interest the code
  • of ethics conflicts of interest the code of ethics conflicts of interest prohibitions<00:04:18.440><
  • Management conflict resolution Labor Management conflict resolution Labor Relations<00:04:41.120
Bills: HF10
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention - 02/11/25

Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:
  • We're Minnesota's infrastructure union, representing more than 14,000 skilled construction laborers who
  • I think over and over again we actually use people's ZIP codes to predict how their life is going to
  • <00:56:42.319> to actually use people's ZIP codes to actually use people's ZIP codes to predict
  • > nonprofits and for profit housing nonprofits and for profit housing providers<01:02:27.039> laborers
  • who build homes home providers laborers who build homes home buyer<01:02:29.440> Educators<01
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety - 04/10/26

Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:
  • particular at the Department of Labor particular at the Department of Labor and<01:33:00.159>
  • seeking guidance on code interpretation. seeking guidance on code interpretation.
  • Organized retail and chain and labor.
  • <01:42:38.560> and enforcement, prosecutors, labor and enforcement, prosecutors, labor and
  • We have a strong coalition of business, labor, and groups all along the supply chain.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
MO

Missouri 2026 Regular Session

Commerce Jan 21st, 2026 at 08:00 am

Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • And with regard to these codes, who's suggesting what goes into the codes?
  • code.
  • on a pretty good code.
  • code.
  • If a code, some code, results in an increase in fee, we're typically not going to oppose the code, as
Keywords: 959, house, all
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Finance (03/17/2026)

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • um fire marshall determinations of code. um fire marshall determinations of code.
  • <04:16:08.560> review appealed to the building code review appealed to the building code review
  • appealed to either the building code appealed to either the building code review<04:16:15.279>
  • <04:19:44.560> or building code or the state fire code or building code or the state fire
  • bill came to us from the House Labor bill came to us from the House Labor Committee.<04:30:05.680
Keywords: 1189, house, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on the Judiciary Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • You know, Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
  • Yeah, so there is... ...Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Got there, yeah.
  • I hear about the labor shortage, people not wanting to work, and government waste, but every person I
  • I hear about the labor shortage, people not wanting to work and government waste, but every person I
  • This worsens labor shortages, reduces consumer spending, and shrinks tax revenue.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on several Judiciary bills, with the largest portion focused on S. 1178/H. 2052 to reduce mass incarceration and end life without parole. People incarcerated at MCI Framingham, MCI Norfolk, and NCCI Gardner described personal growth, rehabilitation, restorative justice work, family separation, and the belief that parole eligibility after long sentences would better reflect public safety and human development. Speakers emphasized that life without parole removes hope and can undermine rehabilitation, while supporters argued that many lifers are older, less likely to reoffend, and could contribute positively if given a chance at parole review. Committee members did not take votes during the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on S. 1139 to restore the statute of limitations for wrongful death claims involving tobacco use, with Sen. Keenan explaining that a recent SJC decision had cut off claims where the injured person did not sue within three years before death. He said the bill would restore families’ ability to seek redress in cases involving long-latency tobacco harms like COPD. Another major topic was S. 1205, which would add abusive litigation to the definition of coercive control in domestic violence law; Sen. Michael Moore said the bill would stop abusers from using repeated court filings to harass and financially burden survivors. The committee also took up S. 1114 on automatic record sealing, with Sen. Friedman and others arguing that the current petition-based process is slow, burdensome, and disproportionately harms people with criminal records, especially Black and Latino residents. Testimony also supported H. 1965/S. 1132 on compensation for wrongful conviction, with advocates and sponsors describing a faster administrative claims process, transitional support, and higher compensation without the current cap. Sen. Payano testified for S. 1241 to expand educational programming for incarcerated emerging adults, saying education reduces recidivism and improves reentry outcomes. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on S. 2522, an update to Massachusetts’ shield law for reproductive and gender-affirming care. Sen. Friedman, the Attorney General’s office, and DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said the bill is needed to strengthen protections against out-of-state legal attacks, protect patient and provider data, clarify enforcement authority, and add a state-level EMTALA-style emergency care requirement. Committee members asked detailed questions about prescription labeling, the prescription monitoring program, attorney discipline, custody and full faith and credit issues, and whether the bill’s enforcement language could create unintended limits or conflicts. The Attorney General’s office said it would provide follow-up written testimony on several technical questions.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

Senate Health and Human Services (02/11/2026)

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:06:41.600> deserve or prong or prolonged labor deserve or prong or prolonged labor deserve
  • the, uh, zip code of the patient. the, uh, zip code of the patient.
  • <00:09:24.000> with constituency, I've got zip codes with constituency, I've got zip codes
  • She had multiple known risk factors, including prolonged labor, a difficult labor, a C-section, and then
  • They know the codes.
Keywords: 1191, senate, all
PA

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Session (Jun 30 2026)

Pennsylvania House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • This bill amends the Second Class Township Code to change the date of the completion, filing, and publication
  • There's actually a provision in the school code that would allow administrators, if they are changed
  • By putting this legislation into the public school code, we are involving the Department of Education
  • Act 27 of 2020 is landmark legislation in Pennsylvania that amended the state's game and wildlife code
  • The bill was reported out of committee unanimously, out of the Labor and Industry Committee, and the
Keywords: Scheduler, 973, house, all
Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge, and first handled routine business including postponing approval of the prior journal and confirming a quorum. Several committee reports were adopted, including measures from Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, Tourism and Recreation and Economic Development, Appropriations, Rules, Commerce, and Environmental and Natural Resource Protection. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 531, designating June 2026 as Scoliosis Awareness Month, after testimony from Rep. DeLosier and discussion of a constituent’s experience with severe scoliosis; the resolution passed 201-1. The House then adopted a series of additional resolutions and bills, including Diaper Need Awareness Week, a study on PANS/PANDAS, 717 Day, Little League World Series Week, and a resolution commemorating America 250 in Pennsylvania. It also passed bills on Sunshine Act agenda notice changes, veteran death notifications, Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, township audit deadlines, first responder memorials, road transfers, parole board succession, and restrictions on HOA limits for rooftop solar. The solar bill drew multiple failed amendments on HOA voting rules, native plants, energy-source discrimination, and net metering; one amendment on indemnification for elected officials at special events was adopted. In final passage votes, the House approved legislation to prohibit NDAs related to data centers, with debate centered on transparency and local control; it passed 171-31. The chamber also passed bills allowing Pittsburgh school administrators to collectively bargain, requiring hunting and trapping education options in schools, expanding SWIF’s equity investment authority, and scheduling metatomidine as a Schedule 3 controlled substance. The Counseling Compact bill and a parole-record privilege bill both passed unanimously or near-unanimously, and the House signed those measures for presentation to the Governor. The session ended with referrals of new bills to committees, a motion to adjourn, and adjournment until July 1, 2026.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:
  • January 2024, I pushed forward and the council adopted the specialized code.
  • However, the code is only for new construction and only in Salem, as most of you know who have visited
  • January 2024, I pushed forward and the council adopted the specialized code.
  • however the code is only for new construction and only in Salem as most of you know who have visited
  • We are downsizing, and we may have a school that may be available to turn into housing, but the code
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The hearing focused on several climate and utility-related bills, especially H. 3449/S. 2292 to expand the municipal fossil fuel-free building demonstration program from 10 to 20 communities and related home rule petitions for Somerville and other municipalities. Witnesses from Somerville, Salem, Worcester, Cambridge, Newton, Arlington, Wellesley, Watertown, and the Massachusetts Municipal Association argued that local governments should be allowed to opt into fossil fuel-free or net-zero building standards, citing climate goals, environmental justice concerns, housing production, and data showing all-electric construction can cost about the same as or less than mixed-fuel construction. Committee members repeatedly pressed witnesses for cost data and asked for written follow-up, while also discussing whether strong environmental standards affect housing supply; witnesses responded that the main housing constraints are financing and that they would provide more data from local projects and state studies. A second major topic was H. 3564, which would require gas companies to provide municipalities with detailed multi-year pipe replacement plans, allow local review and objections, and limit reimbursement for projects not previously disclosed except in emergencies. Municipal leaders and advocates said the bill would improve coordination of street work, reduce disruption and costs, and help cities plan for electrification, network geothermal, and non-pipeline alternatives. Testimony from Wellesley, Cambridge, Arlington, Newton, and others emphasized repeated problems with last-minute gas main work, the need for advance notice, and the value of municipal participation in planning gas system retirement and alternatives. The committee also heard testimony on the “tactical transition” bills, S. 2249/H. 3539, aimed at managing the gas-to-clean-energy transition. Supporters from Gas Transition Allies, Rewiring America, and 350 Mass said the bills would require joint gas-electric planning, create an advisory council, eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups, shift investment toward repairs and clean alternatives, protect workers through retraining, and make utility plans more transparent. They argued these changes would reduce ratepayer costs, avoid stranded gas assets, and support orderly decarbonization. In addition, HEET testified on H. 3541, which would update greenhouse gas accounting to better reflect methane’s short-term climate impact, and H. 3543, which would establish a framework for managing shared thermal resources and thermal energy networks; committee members asked several questions about the meaning, ownership, and consumer-cost implications of the proposed “thermal commons.” No votes were taken during the hearing.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 04/07/25

Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • So that is the coding on this one.
  • I've often talked about how we seek to represent the whole state with our bill, and tracking labor statistics
  • And this is his bill that included the county labor force participation rates as something that the Job
  • And this is his bill that included the county labor force participation rates as something that the Job
  • bill that included the county labor bill that included the county labor force<00:14:16.800> part
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • To be approved, the provider must submit a diagnosis code confirming type 2 diabetes.
  • code of confirming<00:15:25.600> type<00:15:25.920> two<00:15:26.160> diabetes.
  • It has a negative impact on your labor force.
  • <00:33:53.840> There<00:33:54.080> are impact on your labor force.
  • There are impact on your labor force.
Keywords: 958, all
Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on February 23, 2026, approved the January 12 minutes, and then focused primarily on Kentucky Medicaid’s coverage and potential expansion of GLP-1 drugs, especially for weight loss. Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee explained that Medicaid currently does not cover drugs for weight loss, anorexia, or weight gain, but the department had filed a regulation to remove that blanket exclusion so GLP-1s could be covered when used for an underlying health condition. She said the administrative regulation review subcommittee found the regulation deficient, and the co-chairs wanted the board to discuss the policy and financing implications before any change. DMS also said it would be open to adding caveats to ensure coverage would not extend to cosmetic weight loss alone. The department provided several data points on current utilization and spending. In 2025, Kentucky Medicaid paid for appetite-stimulating drugs such as Megestrol, Dronabinol, and Marinol, but did not pay for weight-loss drugs. For GLP-1s, DMS said coverage began in 2025 and is limited to FDA-approved medical conditions, with prior authorization requiring a type 2 diabetes diagnosis code and A1C documentation. DMS reported $234.6 million in GLP-1 spending in 2025 before rebates, about 240,931 prescriptions, and said GLP-1s accounted for 7.3% of pharmacy spend in 2024 and 8.3% in 2025. It also said there were 24,844 expansion members and 13,638 non-expansion members using GLP-1s, with spending of about $156 million and $78.5 million respectively, and that 10 pediatric weight-loss prescriptions were covered under EPSDT. The department said outcome analyses, including whether GLP-1 use reduces insulin or other diabetes treatment, are underway and should be completed in a couple of months. Members asked about cost, rebates, and whether the state should wait for more outcomes data before expanding coverage. DMS said average reimbursement to pharmacies was $975 per prescription and the average dispensing fee was $109; it also said 2025 rebate invoices totaled $90.8 million, with $7.6 million collected so far. Several members expressed concern about the high cost and the need to evaluate whether the drugs improve health outcomes before expanding access, while others noted the potential benefits for obesity and diabetes treatment. Some members also discussed whether GLP-1s are effectively being used for weight loss in diabetic patients and whether broader data collection should be used to assess long-term value. After the Medicaid discussion, Eli Lilly executive Tracy Sims presented on obesity as a chronic disease and the economic burden it creates in Kentucky. She said Kentucky’s adult obesity rate is a little over 37%, that obesity is linked to about 200 diseases, and that untreated obesity costs the state billions in GDP and hundreds of millions in state budget impact. She highlighted recent federal access programs for GLP-1s, including a Medicaid-related program that she said could lower the state share of a Zepbound prescription to about $71 per month after federal matching. No votes were taken on the GLP-1 policy question during the meeting, and the main action was the receipt of testimony and discussion of the department’s proposed regulatory change.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Ways & Means Dec 4th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • last two rate cuts in September and October was largely sort of insurance cuts to try to prop up the labor
  • We believe this is due to a slowing labor market, which is increasing demand for college and for financial
  • The color coding on the bar charts indicates which agency the spend is from on this graph.
  • Again, the color coding shows the breakdown by agency.
Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session covering the state revenue outlook, caseload forecasts, wildfire costs, budget balance, tort liability, water supply, and pension policy. The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council reported modest near-term U.S. growth, no near-term Washington employment growth in 2026, continued personal income growth, and elevated inflation, with tariffs and federal policy cited as major risks. Revenue forecasts were slightly improved for the current biennium by about $105 million but down about $185 million for the next biennium. Members asked about income inequality and housing permits; staff said personal income is an aggregate measure and housing production remains below long-term needs. The Caseload Forecast Council then reported that most forecasts were unchanged or only slightly changed, but several programs increased, including Washington College Grant, Working Connections, aged/blind/disabled cash grants, nursing homes, home and community services, and developmental disabilities personal care. The largest policy-driven change was in Medicaid low-income adult caseloads, where federal H.R. 1 was projected to reduce coverage substantially through narrower eligibility, community engagement requirements, and shorter eligibility periods. The committee also heard a wildfire funding update and a 2025 fire season review. Staff explained that the state budgets $93 million annually for suppression and uses supplemental appropriations for costs above that level, with an estimated state supplemental need of about $139 million for the current year. Department of Natural Resources officials said 2025 fire activity remained below the 10-year average in acres burned, but fires were more complex and closer to communities, contributing to higher residence loss. They described expanded use of aircraft, firefighters from other states, corrections crews, and the Arcadia 20 hand crew, and said the state did not need National Guard ground support this year. A budget preview then showed that the near general fund outlook had worsened after vetoes, lapses, and forecast changes, and that maintenance-level costs alone would leave a projected negative balance by fiscal year 2027 and about $4.3 billion by fiscal year 2029, before any policy decisions. Jason Seams, the state risk manager, reported a sharp rise in tort claim costs, with indemnity expenses nearly doubling from fiscal year 2023 to 2025 and DCYF accounting for most of the increase. He said the state self-insurance liability account has run deficits for four straight biennia and is now facing nearly $600 million in deficits, driven largely by a surge in DCYF claims, especially juvenile rehabilitation and long-running sex abuse cases. Members asked about the role of old claims, comparisons with other states, excess insurance, and whether more Attorney General staff could reduce special assistant attorney general costs. The committee then shifted to water policy, hearing from tribal leaders, Ecology, and the Washington Water Trust. Tribal witnesses emphasized overappropriation, declining flows, climate impacts, and the need for legislative oversight and tribal participation in water policy. Ecology described major projects in the Odessa sub-area, Yakima Basin, and Dungeness, along with the need for storage, recharge, conservation, and policy changes to support water supply development. The Washington Water Trust argued that climate change is reducing summer flows and that the state needs more funding, enforcement, and long-term commitment to restore instream flows. The final item was a pension update on LEOFF 1 surplus assets; staff reviewed two 2025 bills that would have merged or restructured the plan and used surplus assets, but neither passed, and instead the budget directed the Select Committee on Pension Policy to study the issue and report back.