Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker Pro Tem, having voted on the prevailing side, I defer to Representative Kupper on this.
• Chair, having voted on the prevailing side, I move that the House reconsider its actions today, February

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest introductions, and a proclamation recognizing February 2026 as American Heart Month, with Representative Willoughby emphasizing CPR and AED readiness. Members also welcomed students and guests from Wilcox Christian School, the Arizona State Fair Association, and other visitors. The chamber then handled routine business including attendance, journal approval, committee assignments, and first and second readings of numerous bills. The Committee of the Whole considered several measures, including HB 2016, HB 2133, HB 2223, HB 2459, HB 2501, and HB 2785. Most received do-pass recommendations after brief explanations and amendments. HB 2785, a major tax conformity bill, drew the most debate: supporters said it would align Arizona law with federal tax changes, prevent taxpayers from having to amend returns, and provide certainty during filing season, while opponents argued it would create a large revenue loss and benefit corporations and the wealthy without a clear funding plan. The committee adopted the Ways and Means amendment to HB 2785 by a 31-22 division vote, and the bill ultimately received a do-pass recommendation. Back on the floor, the House adopted the Committee of the Whole report and sent HB 2016, HB 2133, HB 2123, HB 2459, HB 2501, and HB 2785 to engrossing. In third reading, HB 2029, HB 2120, HB 2126, and HB 2131 passed, while HB 2045 failed on a 19-36 vote and then failed again on a reconsideration motion by 25-27. Members then made several personal privilege remarks about legislative process, representation, and Black History Month, and the House adjourned until the following Wednesday afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker Pro Tem, having voted on the prevailing side, I defer to Representative Kupper on this.
• Chair, having voted on the prevailing side, I move that the House reconsider its actions today, February

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• outlines the reasons a county is unable to reclassify agricultural property in the case an owner prevails
• In the case, an owner prevails in an appeal.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus began with introductions from pages and interns, followed by a procedural reminder on consent calendars and how bills can be pulled for floor debate or amendment. Members were told that third-read consent bills bypass caucus debate, while caucus consent bills may have committee amendments adopted together unless pulled. The meeting then moved into Minority Caucus Calendar No. 2. A large number of bills were briefly presented, with several members pulling measures from consent or voicing opposition. Topics included appropriations and federal monies accounting (HB 2148), a Buffalo Soldiers memorial (HB 2062), school library funding restrictions (HB 2008), prayer at school governing body meetings (HB 2110), school safety center administration (HB 2142), parental rights and social transitioning disclosures (HB 2249), insurer assessments (HB 2091), agricultural property classification and inspection rules (HB 2104 and HB 2105), firefighter workers’ compensation definitions (HB 2138), truth-in-taxation bond notices (HB 2289), late tax filing penalties (HB 2016), engineering and professional licensing reciprocity (HB 2122), felony murder involving an unborn child (HB 2043), body concealment and mutilation penalties (HB 2044), domestic violence order-of-protection service rules (HB 2048), mandatory reporting of partial-birth abortions (HB 2074), unlawful flight sentencing enhancements (HB 2108), weapons trafficking and fentanyl sentencing changes (HB 2131 and HB 2132), drive-by shooting forfeiture rules (HB 2045), probation review notice changes (HB 2046), venue changes for cases involving court employees (HB 2126), and child support for pre-born children (HB 2144). Members repeatedly criticized several abortion-related bills, the library bill, and the tax and agriculture measures as harmful, unnecessary, or unfunded mandates. The latter part of the meeting focused on water and election legislation. Water bills included snowpack augmentation funding (HB 2024), water conservation grant disclosures (HB 2029), removal of education/research as an eligible water grant use (HB 2030), stormwater recharge mapping with an appropriation (HB 253), cesspool remediation assistance (HB 2096), groundwater pumping limits in INAs (HB 2097), Colorado River litigation funding (HB 2116), and natural resource conservation board changes (HB 2117). Election-related items included moving the primary date earlier and changing signature cure timelines and observer rules (HB 2022), a memorial urging designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization (HCM 2001), a memorial urging review of CAIR for terrorist designation (HCM 2002), and a constitutional amendment on citizenship, voter ID, foreign contributions, and early voting limits (HCR 2001). Members raised concerns about voter access, anti-Muslim rhetoric, and the practical effects of the election changes. The caucus concluded with birthday acknowledgments and an announcement for Muslim Day at the Capitol before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• outlines the reasons a county is unable to reclassify agricultural property in the case an owner prevails
• In the case, an owner prevails in an appeal.

Summary: The caucus meeting began with introductions from pages and interns, followed by a procedural reminder from Rhonda about caucus consent and third-read consent calendars. She explained that bills coming out of rules can be placed on consent if they are not amended, and that pulling a bill from consent means members should be prepared to speak to it on the floor. The meeting then moved through a long Minority Caucus calendar of bills, with staff giving brief descriptions and members frequently noting bills for no further comment, pulling several from consent, or stating opposition. The bills discussed covered a wide range of topics, including appropriations and federal monies (HB 2148), a Buffalo Soldiers memorial (HB 2062), school library funding restrictions (HB 2008), prayer at public school governing body meetings (HB 2110), school safety administration (HB 2142), parental rights and social transitioning notifications (HB 2249), insurer assessments (HB 2091), agricultural property classification and inspection rules (HB 2104 and HB 2105), firefighters’ workers’ compensation status (HB 2138), truth-in-taxation bond notices (HB 2289), tax filing penalties (HB 2016), engineer and architect reciprocity (HB 2122), felony murder involving an unborn child (HB 2043), body concealment and related felony classifications (HB 2044), domestic violence order-of-protection service rules (HB 2048), mandatory reporting for partial-birth abortions (HB 2074), unlawful flight sentencing enhancements (HB 2108), weapons trafficking penalties (HB 2131), fentanyl sentencing thresholds (HB 2132), drive-by shooting definitions and forfeiture (HB 2045), probation review notices for sex offender hearings (HB 2046), venue changes in superior court when judicial employees are parties (HB 2126), and child support for pre-born children (HB 2144). Water-related bills included snowpack augmentation funding (HB 2024), WIFA grant disclosures (HB 2029), removing water conservation education as an eligible use (HB 2030), stormwater recharge mapping with an appropriation (HB 253), cesspool remediation assistance (HB 2096), groundwater pumping limits in INAs (HB 2097), Colorado River litigation funding (HB 2116), and natural resource board changes and education funding (HB 2117). Election-related measures included moving the primary date and adjusting cure periods and observer rules (HB 2022), and a proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship, ID, foreign contributions, early voting, and mail voting (HCR 2001). The committee also heard two memorials urging federal terrorist designations for the Muslim Brotherhood and CARE (HCM 2001 and HCM 2002). Members and staff offered substantive objections to many bills, often arguing they were anti-student, anti-abortion, overly punitive, unfunded mandates, or unfair tax policy. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, including HB 2008, HB 2110, HB 2142, HB 2249, HB 2043, HB 2074, HB 2108, and HB 2144. Supportive remarks were also made for some measures, such as the cesspool remediation bill, which was noted as having unanimous support, while other bills were flagged for stakeholder meetings or future amendments. The meeting ended with announcements recognizing members’ birthdays and noting Muslim Day at the Capitol, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state has consistently challenged these provisions in court and has repeatedly prevailed, with multiple
• know that there is both the Supremacy Clause and the anti-commandeering clause, which do you think prevails

Summary: The Tribal Relations Committee held a work session on the Keep Washington Working Act, hearing first from the Office of the Attorney General, then the Office of the Governor, and finally advocates from the ACLU of Washington, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and One America. The Attorney General’s office described the 2019 bipartisan law as limiting state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement, emphasizing minimal data collection, privacy protections, definitions in the statute, model policies for agencies, and the role of court orders and federal funding exceptions. Committee members asked about consistency in legal guidance, possible federal challenges, and whether the law has been litigated in Washington or elsewhere; the office said it has not been challenged in Washington and cited similar laws in other states that have been upheld or dismissed in litigation. The governor’s office said the administration is implementing the law across agencies through case-by-case review of data-sharing requests, coordination with the Attorney General and privacy officials, and a new executive order creating an immigration sub-cabinet to improve agency coordination and community input. Officials said the state will continue to protect immigrant communities, avoid using state resources for civil immigration enforcement, and comply with federal funding requirements where necessary, citing Medicaid and other programs as examples. They also discussed recent court rulings in Washington that blocked federal grant conditions tied to immigration enforcement and said agencies are being trained to review data privacy and sharing practices. Advocates argued that Keep Washington Working is grounded in anti-commandeering principles and is meant to ensure state resources are used for state purposes, not federal immigration enforcement. They said the law helps immigrant communities trust police, schools, and public services, but warned that data sharing and aggressive federal enforcement are eroding that trust and harming families. The panelists described cases involving alleged unlawful local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, family separation, detention, and due process concerns, and suggested possible improvements such as stronger enforcement mechanisms, a private right of action, and broader limits on data sharing. No votes or formal actions were taken; the committee closed the hearing after members thanked the presenters and invited follow-up on implementation issues and potential legislative changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because the Chamber prevailed in this federal civil rights case, we are entitled to recover attorneys
• actual foreign corporations, it wouldn't have been the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce that sued and prevailed

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• The motion prevails. out as pending business House Bill 271 by Representative Gonzales.
• Again, being nine ayes, one nay, the motion prevails.

Bills: HB173, HB184, HB484, HB678, HB 1211, HB1507, HB1705, HB1868, HB2290, HB2851, HB2856, HB3041, HB3204, HB173, HB184

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• There being 9 ayes and 0 nays, the motion prevails. Yes. My apologies.
• Dean Dyson Garcia Gates Gerdes Gara Reynolds Rosenthal there being 10 ayes and 0 nays, the motion prevails

Transcript Highlights:

• systematically affect the share of a state's workforce serving those clients while controlling for wages
• It's an occupation with high turnover and relatively low wages, but also this audit and others we've

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the Restoring Quality Home Care Initiative (I-1163), which created home care aide certification requirements, FBI background checks, and an abuse/neglect registry. Auditors said some requirements likely improve safety, especially background checks and training, but the state lacked pre-2011 data to measure outcomes directly. They also found Washington has a long-term care workforce shortage, though its workforce supply ranks better than many states, and that more stringent entry requirements do not appear to reduce workforce participation compared with other states. The audit’s main concern was that the certification process is slow and burdensome. Auditors reported that most applicants never finish certification, that only about one-third of fiscal year 2025 applicants were certified within the 200-day legal deadline, and that the average time to certification was 463 days. They identified delays between training and testing, limited testing access in some areas, and redundant Department of Health verification of FBI background checks as key causes. The audit recommended streamlining the process by accepting applications later in the process, expanding testing within training programs, and eliminating the redundant background-check verification. Department of Health and Department of Social and Health Services staff largely agreed with the audit’s findings and recommendations. They said they have already made improvements, including moving exams into more than 110 training programs, increasing credentialing staff, and reducing barriers through rule changes. DSHS noted testing is offered in 13 languages. Committee members asked about testing contract incentives, language access, and whether the agencies would seek statutory or budget changes to implement the recommendations. No public testimony was offered, and the meeting adjourned without any vote or formal action by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, H-24, an act clarifying the Chapter 32 definition of wages, is a follow-up piece to an SJC decision
• that will be the case going forward by adding sick, vacation, and personal time to the definition of wages

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public service and retirement-related bills. Senator Kelly Dooner and Rep. O’Rourke supported a Taunton home rule petition to extend Chief Walsh’s service during the city’s transition to a new public safety facility, citing the need to manage new equipment, cameras, and 911 systems smoothly. Senator Lovely testified in favor of bills expanding retirement savings access through the SMART Plan and the CORE Plan, arguing that automatic enrollment and broader eligibility would help state, municipal, and nonprofit workers save for retirement. No questions were raised on the Taunton petition, and the hearing later moved through the remaining testimony without any votes taken during the transcript. Mary Waldron of the Old Colony Planning Council and Jeffrey Walker of the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District urged support for legislation protecting regional planning agencies from being required to make retroactive payments to the State Retirement Board for past employer contributions. They warned that the costs would be unsustainable, could force layoffs or closures, and would jeopardize their ability to provide transportation, housing, economic development, and planning services. Bill Keith and Patrick Charles of PEREC testified on several retirement administration bills, including measures to ease statement-of-financial-interest filing rules, require payment for certain creditable service purchases, and clarify the definition of wages to include sick, vacation, and personal time; committee members asked questions about regional transit authorities joining retirement systems and about adding local retirement board representation to a proposed commission. Jonathan Osimo and Rob Fabino of the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System supported bills to penalize delinquent pension reporting by employers and to create a special commission to study retirement credit purchases, saying better reporting would improve retirement processing and that a broader review could improve fairness and sustainability. Eddie Boynton of the Braintree Education Association backed the SMART Plan bill, describing how automatic enrollment and low-fee fiduciary oversight could protect educators from high-cost supplemental retirement products. Matthew Nugent testified for a bill to divest public pension funds from firearms and ammunition. After the final witnesses, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, heard none, and then adjourned the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• an internal vocational training program within our Department of Veterans Affairs that pays minimum wage
• Program within our Department of Veterans Affairs that pays minimum wage.

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Finance Advisory Committee approved the minutes of its April 2 meeting and then took up three budget transfers. The first, FAC 2026-6 for the Office of the State Treasurer, moved $75,000 from personal services to other expenses to pay for consultant help applying for federal energy credits under the Inflation Reduction Act’s direct pay provisions. Treasurer’s office staff said the agency had one open position and several others pending posting, and members discussed how the transfer related to vacant positions and the committee’s budget display. The second item, FAC 2026-7 for the Office of the State Controller, transferred $700,000 from personal services to other expenses to cover higher Core-CT software maintenance and licensing costs. Comptroller staff said the office had 21 open positions, most in Core-CT, and explained that the system, implemented in 2003, receives regular quarterly and monthly updates from Oracle. Members also discussed how the system serves payroll, HR, purchasing, accounting, and related functions for many state agencies, including UConn and the Board of Regents. The final item, FAC 2026-8 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, transferred $700,000 from personal services, the veterans opportunity pilot, and headstones accounts to other expenses for year-end operational needs. Commissioner Ron Welch said most vacancies were in the skilled nursing facility, food service, and physical plant, with staffing challenges especially for nurses and aides. He also explained that the veterans opportunity pilot never fully launched, that the Institutional General Welfare Fund has been depleted and the agency now relies more on general fund support, and that the department faces rising food, utility, and pharmaceutical costs, including a federal VA reimbursement change that will leave the state responsible for medication costs by 2027. All three transfers were approved, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Farm workers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity on the job.
• Farm workers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity on the job.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the beginning of the bill, like page 6 under Qualified Missouri Business, page 15 under average wage
• Under average wage, continuing down in a new job, new payroll.

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met in executive session and first took up Senate Bill 994. Members adopted a House committee substitute and a related amendment that removed conflicting language and added a federal tax filing reference. The committee then voted the House committee substitute do pass on an 8-0 roll call, with one member absent. The committee next considered House Bill 2461, with discussion indicating the bill was being rolled together with related bills and that the amendment would extend, not eliminate, a sunset on a tax credit at a 50% level. After adopting the amendment and substitute language, the committee voted the House committee substitute do pass by a 6-2 vote. The transcript also notes procedural action to roll in other bill language before the final vote. In public hearing, the committee heard Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1032, which would allow a one-time $2,400 state income tax deduction for each child born or adopted in the tax year beginning after January 1, 2027. Senator Moon described it as pro-family tax policy, and Missouri Right to Life testified in support, saying it would help families choose life and offset early child-rearing costs. Members questioned the policy rationale, whether the deduction should be refundable or recurring, and the estimated fiscal impact, but no vote was taken on the bill. The committee also heard House Bill 3329, which would repeal a long list of expired or unused tax credits and clean up outdated statutory language. Representative Thompson and the Department of Revenue supported the bill as a way to reduce administrative burden and eliminate obsolete credits from the books. No opposition testimony was offered, and the hearing concluded without further action before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• also extends and clarifies the authority of a port district under state rule regarding employment wages
• limited authority Washington police officers who can investigate economic and financial crimes such as wage

Summary: The Rules Committee considered a long series of House bills and substitute House bills, moving nearly all of them from the white sheet to the floor calendar. Topics included health care transaction notice requirements (HB 2548), waste-to-energy compliance and utility rates (HB 2416), language access for state programs (HB 2475), repeal and transition away from the Community Protection Program for developmental disabilities services (HB 1390), nursing regulation and ARNP standards (HB 2339), lump-sum payment increases for small monthly payments (HB 2124), roadway fatality risk data collection by the Traffic Safety Commission (HB 2192), statewide low-income energy assistance (HB 1903), local government tax resources and flexibility (HB 2442), permanent property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizen centers (HB 2133), retirement benefit bargaining for Department of Corrections employees (HB 1069), collective bargaining rights for non-academic employees at Western Washington University (HB 1570), medically tailored meals in Medicaid (HB 2211), aviation funding for wildland fire response (HB 2104), port worker retirement and wage/benefit authority (HB 2179), overdose data sharing (HB 2168), real estate transaction exemptions for public-benefit acquisitions by public entities, tribes, and conservation groups (HB 2624), security measures for legislators and other elected officials (HB 2333), voter registration challenge procedures (HB 1916), limits on restraint and isolation in schools (HB 1795), jail search policies for transgender and intersex individuals (HB 1604), Attorney General investigators for wage theft and fraud (HB 2156), Transportation Improvement Board updates (HB 1823), tax treatment for land transferred to government entities (HB 2140), expanded shared leave uses for hate crime and immigration enforcement-related situations (HB 2411), collective bargaining protections if federal enforcement changes (HB 2471), labor standards for clean energy/urban area property tax exemption projects (HB 1210), employer notice and enforcement rights during I-9/immigration audits (HB 2105), tax increment financing dispute resolution for special purpose and junior taxing districts (HB 2451), AI-generated content disclosure and enforcement (HB 1170), tourism marketing assessment authority (HB 2325), defective license plate replacement fees (HB 2114), the Blue Envelope Program for neurodiverse drivers during traffic stops (HB 2323), and pre-clearance provisions under the Washington State Voting Rights Act (HB 1710). Most motions passed on voice votes with little or no opposition; one notable dissent came on HB 2105, where Senator King raised concerns about the bill’s private right of action. The committee also noted Senator Conway’s likely final Rules Committee meeting and thanked him for his service before adjourning with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in the event that a court order happens, and then what is it called when you garnish someone's wages
• And in the event that a court order happens, and then what is it called, when you garnish someone's wages

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• efficiency, and workforce alignment delivers broad-based economic returns for Arizona measured in jobs, wages
• , and competitiveness. ...broad-based economic returns for Arizona measured in jobs, wages, and competitiveness

Summary: The Committee on International Trade heard a presentation from Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who shared trade and economic data on Hispanic businesses and consumers in Arizona and nationally. She emphasized that Hispanics represent a major economic force, that small and medium-sized businesses are key exporters, and that tariffs or border disruptions can significantly affect Arizona businesses. She also highlighted Arizona’s trade relationship with Mexico, major import/export sectors such as computers, electronics, transportation, and machinery, and the need for more state support for small businesses through capital access and technical assistance. Villalobos noted the Chamber’s upcoming business engagement tour to Mexico City and said the organization would provide district-specific trade profiles to legislators. Members asked questions about top Mexico trade products, transportation equipment, and how the state could better support small businesses. Villalobos said major Mexico-related trade areas include automotive electronics, transportation, and service-oriented business opportunities, and she pointed to the need for microloan access and funding for technical assistance programs that have lost federal support. She also offered to share additional data and connect members with experts on transportation infrastructure and trade. The committee then considered HB 2754, which would add the chairs of the Senate Finance Committee and House International Trade Committee, or designees, to the Arizona Commerce Authority board; shift trade office oversight and the Arizona Competes program to legislative appropriation; require annual reporting on trade office activities; and remove the Competes program’s termination date. The bill sponsor argued the legislature should have more direct oversight of trade offices and the Competes Fund. After discussion, the committee voted 5-0 with 2 present and 3 absent to give HB 2754 a do pass recommendation, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The ayes have it, and the motion prevails.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. The amendment is adopted. Representative Nash. Representative Nash.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. And the House stands in recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails, and the calendar is adopted.

Keywords: 1183, house