Transcript Highlights:

• at Texas A&M.
• at Texas A&M.
• Is that something that happens in Texas through this law?
• I had the opportunity to study the impact of a similar diversion option in Harris County, Texas.
• Tunheim indicated, I reached out to my colleague in Texas. They have a deferral sentence there.

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met on January 29, 2026, and announced it would not hold executive session that day because of the large number of public hearing sign-ups; those executive sessions were pushed to the following Monday. The committee first heard House Bill 2558, relating to the mental health sentencing alternative (MHSA). Staff explained that the bill narrows eligibility to people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, adds restrictions for certain domestic violence and prior violent offense cases, requires more detailed DOC reports, lengthens some community custody terms, mandates regular progress hearings, and shifts assessment work to contracted providers. The sponsor said the bill is intended to refocus the program on people whose offenses are tied to serious mental illness and to reduce misuse in domestic violence and other violent cases. No public testimony was taken on HB 2558 that day, and the hearing was held open for later testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 2217, which would replace the current first-time offender waiver with a pretrial deferral option and a suspended sentence option for eligible first-time felony defendants. Supporters, including public defense, immigration advocates, judges, economists, and the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, argued the bill would create a meaningful rehabilitation pathway, reduce recidivism, improve employment outcomes, and avoid the long-term harm of an immediate felony conviction. They also said the deferred-adjudication structure could help immigrants avoid immigration consequences and would better incentivize restitution and compliance. Opponents, including sheriffs, prosecutors, and victim advocates, raised concerns about expanding eligibility to offenses such as assault 2 and robbery 2, the meaning of “violent offense,” the possibility of judicial diversion without prosecutor consent, and the impact on victims and public safety. After testimony, the sponsor said she would remove the bill’s strong presumption in favor of relief, and the committee closed the public hearing on HB 2217. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2641, the “ICE Out Act of 2026,” which would bar Washington law enforcement agencies from hiring people who were sworn ICE officers after January 20, 2025, with the restriction applying prospectively beginning October 1, 2026. The sponsor said the bill was meant to protect communities and prevent hiring officers associated with federal immigration enforcement practices she described as harmful. The committee then heard House Bill 2648, which would require state and local officers who encounter suspected ICE employees conducting immigration enforcement to activate body and dash cameras, report the encounter, and document it, while providing state indemnification for officers acting in good faith. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency and protect communities and officers; the Washington State Patrol said many of the practices already align with its policies. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs expressed concerns about added reporting requirements, possible effects on federal-local cooperation, and asked for changes to soften mandatory language and strengthen indemnification. The committee ended the hearing without further testimony and adjourned, noting executive sessions on about a dozen bills would occur the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• And is there, have you thought about an agriculture exemption? So I have a farm, we have livestock.
• And so the food handler situations that you've described in agriculture would fall under the consumer
• So from my understanding of agriculture and food preparation, most of the use of these chemicals would
• Plain soap and water is fully compliant with the FDA's food code. It's less expensive.
• I would just say, again, that that issue has been studied, and the FDA's food code still allows plain

Summary: The Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee met to adopt its rules, establish quorum, and approve a consent calendar of five bills, all sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee then heard three measures: AB 638 by Assembly Member Rodriguez on stormwater capture for irrigation of urban public lands; AB 60 by Assembly Member Papin on banning synthetic nitro musks in cosmetics and personal care products; and AB 916 by Assembly Member Lee on restricting certain antibacterial soap ingredients in consumer hand soaps and body washes. AB 638 was presented as a climate and water-supply measure directing the State Water Resources Control Board to develop guidelines for capturing and safely reusing stormwater for irrigation. Supporters, including NRDC and several environmental groups, argued it would reduce potable water use and help move stalled projects forward. The bill drew no opposition and received strong support from committee members, including requests to coauthor. It passed the committee on a due pass motion to Appropriations. AB 60 would ban synthetic nitro musks in cosmetics and personal care products due to health and environmental concerns. Supporters cited endocrine disruption, reproductive harms, persistence in waterways, and international restrictions. The bill passed on a due pass motion to the floor, with one member not voting. AB 916 generated the most debate: supporters said the three targeted antimicrobials offer no added benefit over plain soap, may contribute to health harms and antibiotic resistance, and should be banned in consumer products while exempting health care settings. Opponents argued the ingredients are already under FDA and DTSC review, raised preemption concerns, and warned of costs and impacts on food handling and other uses. After extensive discussion, the committee approved AB 916 on a due pass motion to the Committee on Health, with several no votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to take away from Texas. We need to take away from California.
• I think particularly Texas, because Texas has been very active in that space, very successful in attracting
• ago in 2001 when Texas considered this law.
• that's not happening in Willow, and that is a magic zip code, quite frankly.
• that's not happening in Willow, and that is a magic zip code, quite frankly.

Bills: SB1041 , SB1088 , SB1118 , SB1128 , SB1168 , SB1176 , SB1189 , SB1207 , SB1250 , SB1272 , SB1274 , SB1286 , SB1428 , SB1457 , SB1461 , SB1503 , SB1519 , SB1537 , SB1582 , SB1618 , SB1654 , SB1713 , SB1827 , SCR1012 , SCR1020

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, housing, zoning, middle housing, urban development, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes

Transcript Highlights:

• Denial under the insurance code must be reviewed and decided by a qualified human professional.
• As mentioned by the treasurer, Utah, but also Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and 20-some other states have
• As mentioned by the treasurer, Utah, but also Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and 20-some other states have
• I participated in the study, including the one in Utah, but also Oklahoma Senate and Texas and other
• So the research that I've done over the past three years, I think one of the things the state of Texas

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The committee first took up SB 794, as amended by a late-filed strike-all, which would require a human being to make insurance claim denial decisions and prohibit artificial intelligence from being the sole basis for a denial. The sponsor said the bill was intended to preserve human oversight while allowing innovation in claims processing. Public testimony included support from the Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate and the Florida Medical Association, along with one speaker urging additional protections for homeowners. The committee adopted the strike-all and reported SB 794 favorably with committee substitutes. Members then heard SB 134, which removes the $500 threshold on the sales tax exemption for bullion, making sales of gold, silver, and platinum bullion fully exempt and eliminating certain dealer documentation requirements. Supporters argued the change would reduce a regressive tax and help consumers preserve savings; the sponsor estimated a revenue impact of about $300,000. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also adopted a strike-all on SB 888, which directs the Office of Insurance Regulation to create a more consumer-friendly homeowners insurance website with premium comparison information, market data, rate filing access, and educational resources. The sponsor and Leader Boyd said the goal was to improve transparency and help consumers navigate a stabilizing market. SB 888 was reported favorably with committee substitutes. The final bill heard was SB 1578, covering mammograms and supplemental breast cancer screenings. The sponsor said it would expand coverage requirements in ACA plans and private insurance policies, including annual mammograms for women ages 40 to 50 and supplemental screening coverage, while noting Medicaid already provides these services. The Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate waived in support, and the bill was reported favorably. After the bills, the committee held a lengthy panel discussion on gold and silver as legal tender and transactional money, with testimony from officials from Utah and Florida, industry representatives, and advocacy groups. Panelists discussed constitutional authority, consumer protections, depository oversight, taxation issues, and possible transactional platforms for precious metals. No further action was taken after the discussion, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we can take administrative actions within code today.
• and codifying in code this child care program.
• So this could be a clarification on what is set in code. Senator Seidel: Thank you, Madam Chair.
• An original form of the bill just had labeling as a QR code, and I felt that was not enough.
• The department means the Idaho Department of Agriculture.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• We're actually mandating it in code. I'm looking at line 12, subsection A.
• Agencies reviewed their relevant sections of code over the summer.
• Fines for hunting violations are established in other sections of Idaho Code.
• Just sounds like a code cleanup. Okay, any questions for Senator Berkey? I don't see any.
• this also has no fiscal impact just sounds like a code nice code cleanup okay any questions for Senator

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• This is next to New Mexico State University, our agriculture school, home of our Department of Agriculture
• Most of it actually is ending up in the Gulf of Mexico, but in Texas.
• Let's move on to Arizona or Texas or anywhere but here.

Transcript Highlights:

• our commercial grocery access and food desert issues, and Representative Nance, who's a member of Agriculture
• the SNAP level, at the food assistance level, I'm here because I serve as the chair of the House Agriculture
• I want to start by thanking the Farm Bureau and the Commodity Commissions, the Department of Agriculture
• dignity, and building communities where access to food is treated as essential, not a privilege of zip code
• partnerships that don't exist today from our corporate community, our food industry community, our agriculture

Summary: The meeting focused on Washington state food insecurity and a broad legislative response to strengthen food access. Food Lifeline’s CEO described rising hunger across western Washington, citing that about one in eight residents and one in six children are food insecure, with concerns that federal SNAP changes and higher costs could worsen the situation. He emphasized food access as a basic determinant of community health and economic stability, and called for coordinated action among nonprofits, farmers, retailers, and government. Representative Lisa Reeves said the state must lead in feeding Washingtonians amid federal cuts and a government shutdown, and outlined a larger House and Senate food security agenda. She highlighted several bills and policy areas, including a Washington-style farm bill (HB 2616), a ban on force-feeding birds (HB 1735), local food infrastructure grants, a statewide food security strategy (HB 2238), dynamic grocery pricing (HB 2481), farm-to-schools efforts, medically tailored meals (HB 2211), a farm-to-food-banks bill (HB 2463), food donation reporting, and a PFAS-related pesticide bill (HB 2279). She also noted concerns about cuts to small farm and marketing assistance funding and the potential loss of millions of meals from federal policy changes. Representative Darya Farivar and grocery worker Dan House focused on grocery access as infrastructure and supported HB 2313, which would let local governments step in when private grocery options disappear. Farivar also described her related package: HB 2294 to remove anti-competitive covenants blocking grocery reuse, HB 2297 to give local governments tools to support stores in underserved areas, and HB 2313 to allow municipal or partnered grocery operations as a backstop. House testified that store closures, including the Lake City Fred Meyer, harmed families, seniors, and workers, and said UFCW 3,000 supports HB 2313. No votes were taken; the session ended with an invitation for questions and a general call for continued collaboration and support for the proposed bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• education; HB 2636, individual income tax; HB 2639, ways and means; HB 2640, fertilizers, land, agricultural
• natural resources, energy and water; HB 2783, labor commerce requirement; HB 2787, federal and agricultural
• HB 2828; HB 2838, nurses and appropriations; HB 2845, education; HB 2846, appropriation land, agricultural
• HB 2256, salvage vehicles; HB 2257, HOV lane; HB 2258, tourism advisory; HB 2266, property tax agriculture
• HB 2317, traffic vehicle loss; HB 2318, on wheels; HB 2319, sealing arrest records; HB 2324, fire code

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill amends the Health and Safety Code to require...
• In agricultural areas, wolves and other wildlife can cause significant economic losses for ranchers and
• This bill simply reinforces the state's constitutional authority and joins Maryland, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I mean, Texas has got considerably more injection pressure right here on the Texas line.
• But then also when you’re thinking about Texas, as we discuss, I mean, Texas has East Texas, but going
• It was in South Texas and West Texas where the EPA made their adjustments on pressure.
• Or are the Class II disposal wells in Texas? Okay, and the Texas line being...
• He said he was out in Texas...

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 706 by Representative Riser, which would set a more detailed process for commercial saltwater disposal wells, including site-specific modeling and pressure review. Riser and industry witnesses argued the bill would provide clearer, more predictable rules for operators who have faced long delays and changing requirements, while Department of Conservation and Energy officials said they are already developing guidance and that any pressure standard must remain site-specific to avoid fracturing confining layers, protecting drinking water, and staying within EPA primacy requirements. The department emphasized that geology varies widely across Louisiana and that a fixed pressure number in statute could be unsafe in some locations. Members also discussed the fiscal note, the need for additional staff, and whether the bill would tie the department’s hands or force approvals; witnesses said the bill’s modeling requirements were conservative, but opponents warned the statutory pressure ranges could conflict with site-specific safety determinations. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee voted on the bill and it failed on a 6-6 tie. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 4 by Representative McCormick, which would suspend Louisiana’s deer baiting ban for 18 months in areas affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD). McCormick and Hunter Nation representatives argued that baiting bans have not stopped CWD in other states, that deer feeders and food plots are part of hunting culture, and that Louisiana should rely on science and a more flexible approach. They cited Wisconsin as an example where CWD spread despite long-standing feed bans and said there has been no proven human transmission. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials said bait bans are one of the few tools available to reduce artificial congregation of deer and help limit disease spread, and they explained that the department is also working with a CWD task force and another proposal that would tie restrictions to a 1.5% prevalence threshold rather than an across-the-board suspension. The discussion ended with the department providing information on the impacts of both measures, but no final action on HCR 4 was recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentleman from Texas, for what purpose do you rise? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• The gentleman from Texas has moved that the title be agreed to. Discussion on the title?
• Does the gentleman from Texas yield to the gentleman from St. Louis County behind you? Yes.
• Does the gentleman from Texas yield? Yes. Proceed. Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
• Seeing no further discussion, gentlemen from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I close.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, approved the previous day’s journal unanimously, and then adopted a motion suspending House Rule 98 to allow members to wear hats on the floor. Members also introduced several special guests, including the Eugene High School Class 2 basketball champions, family members, scholarship recipients, and other visitors. One member used a lengthy personal privilege speech to criticize a recent U.S. Supreme Court voting-rights decision and warn about threats to democracy and minority voting power. The chamber then took up committee reports and several bills. It approved a motion to go to conference on the property-tax omnibus measure tied to Senate Bills 1066 and 1088. House Bill 3329, repealing expired tax credits, passed 142-0. House Bill 3405, clarifying the SALT deduction and improving tax-credit accounting, also passed 138-0. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2426, a parental-rights bill that also drew criticism over a school financial-ledger requirement and possible burdens on schools and student safety, failed on third reading 70-60. The House next passed House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1233, a professional-licensing bill involving CPA exam access and other occupational licensing changes, by 129-6 after adopting an amendment removing compact language and rejecting a nursing-home physicals amendment. It then passed House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1408, which raises the maximum rural interstate speed limit to 75 mph and, through multiple amendments, also carried a mix of transportation-related provisions including vehicle inspections, hands-free enforcement, motorcycle lighting, driver education, and specialty license plates for women’s professional sports; the final vote was 82-53. The Speaker also appointed a conference committee for Senate Bill 1066. The final item mentioned was Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill 863, described as an interscholastic athletic oversight/appeals bill, but the transcript cuts off before its final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• just some articles over the weekend about the aerospace industry, they were saying that places like Texas
• Does this set Louisiana on the path to become the next Texas or Florida for the aerospace industry?
• Truly, Florida and Texas are the two obvious ones who have capitalized most on this sector, and so we're
• Florida and Texas. This call over-the-counter. And I mean, that's the term that they've given it.
• She asked whether Texas, Mississippi, or Florida are doing this.

Bills: HCR35 , HB440 , HB515 , HB543 , HB614 , HB1010 , HB1039 , HB1088 , HB1122 , HB1179 , HB1200

Committee: House Ways & Means

Keywords: tax delinquency, property sale, rehabilitation, Louisiana State Law Institute, legislation, homestead exemption, property tax, parish governance, Louisiana Constitution, voter approval, adjudicated property, real estate, political subdivisions, property sales, government authority, residential lease, tax credit, property valuation, Louisiana constitution, disaster response

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of manufacturing equipment, agricultural of manufacturing equipment, agricultural implements,<00
• </c> which would conform Minnesota's tax code which would conform Minnesota's tax code to<00:41:03.839
• ,</c> healthcare, medtech, agriculture, healthcare, medtech, agriculture, manufacturing,<00:43:47.359
• code recently made to research and experimentation expensing provisions.
• code recently made to research and experimentation expensing provisions.

Bills: HF3127 , HF3816 , HF3814 , HF3815 , HF3817

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Tricia Garringer with the Agricultural Council of California, respectfully opposed.
• for that code.
• for that code.
• with it below what the The submitted EM code and the payment that goes along with it below what the
• These algorithms target providers whose EM codes are consistently above average, treating statistical

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, beginning with AB 2651 by Bonta, which would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd immunity thresholds. Supporters, including family physicians, PTA representatives, and medical groups, said the bill would improve transparency and help parents protect children and vulnerable family members. Opponents argued the data could be misleading, could identify medically exempt or conditional students, and might lead to stigma or discrimination. The bill was later moved out of committee on a due-pass-as-amended motion, with one no vote recorded on the roll call. The committee also heard AB 2123 by Aguirre-Curry on medical debt relief, AB 1570 by Wilson to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary breast diagnostic and supplemental imaging, AB 2201 by Berner to restore Medi-Cal eligibility and renewal flexibilities, AB 2448 by Berman to strengthen privacy protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care records, AB 2034 by Addis on food additive safety and transparency, and AB 2598 by Krell to require better notification of next of kin when a patient dies in a hospital. Each bill drew strong support from authors, advocates, and affected individuals, while some drew opposition from insurers, industry groups, or transparency critics who raised concerns about cost, duplication, implementation, or unintended harm. Several bills were moved forward on due-pass-as-amended motions, including AB 2123, AB 2201, AB 2448, AB 2034, and AB 2598. The committee also heard AB 2551 by Elhawary, which would require health plans to collect and publish data on how often enrollees must go out of network for behavioral health care and why. Supporters said the measure would expose access barriers and high out-of-pocket costs, especially for communities of color and people with language access needs; opponents said it would add another reporting mandate and might not solve provider shortage problems. Members generally expressed support for the bill’s goals and several described personal or district-level experiences with behavioral health access problems. The bill was then moved out of committee on a due-pass motion. The committee also took up consent items and other procedural motions, with multiple bills reported out and some placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• One, the Vehicle Code does not have a process for warrants simply for having no parking tickets paid.
• Okay, sorry—Aaron's and Lowenthal, just to provide clarity in terms of agriculture, because this bill
• So you can provide greater clarity to the Assembly Member's point around the impacts on agriculture.
• I will admit that but what I will tell you is also in agriculture we have perishable products so time
• Impacts on agriculture.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard a series of bills focused on transportation safety, climate resilience, wildlife connectivity, parking enforcement, and EV charging reliability. AB 605 would create a pilot program allowing certain hydrogen internal combustion cargo-handling equipment at ports; supporters said it could help ports stay competitive while reducing emissions, while South Coast AQMD raised concerns about possible nitrogen oxide emissions and limits on future regulation. The bill passed on an 11-0 vote to the Natural Resources Committee. AB 1132 would require Caltrans to incorporate community resilience indicators, including socioeconomic factors, into climate vulnerability assessments; supporters from Greenlining, AARP, and others said it would better protect seniors, people with disabilities, and transit users during heat waves and disasters, while some members questioned the cost during a tight budget year. It passed 9-0 to Appropriations, with some members not voting. AB 382 would lower school-zone speed limits to 20 mph and give local agencies more flexibility in how the limit is posted and enforced; supporters cited child pedestrian deaths and safety research, and the bill passed 11-0 to Appropriations. AB 902, as amended, would require transportation projects in wildlife connectivity areas to include wildlife passage features where feasible; supporters emphasized reduced collisions and habitat fragmentation, while the California Building Industry Association and COGs moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. It passed 9-1 to Local Government. AB 1014 would give Caltrans more discretion to lower speed limits on state highways based on local conditions rather than the 85th percentile rule; supporters said it would improve safety in rural and tourist areas, and the bill passed 13-0 to Appropriations. AB 1022 would end towing or booting vehicles solely for unpaid parking tickets, with supporters describing the practice as punitive and harmful to low-income drivers, while cities and parking groups argued it would weaken enforcement and create problems for out-of-state vehicles. The bill passed 9-3 to Appropriations. AB 1423 would require publicly funded EV chargers to meet reliability standards and allow enforcement of uptime requirements; supporters said taxpayers need functioning chargers, while charging-industry opponents objected to retroactive standards and possible conflicts with existing agreements. The bill passed 14-0 to Utilities and Energy. The committee also approved a consent calendar of five bills by voice vote and held roll calls open for additional members to add on.

Transcript Highlights:

• agriculture agriculture um<00:16:56.040><c> terrestrial</c><00:16:56.680><c> inv</c><00:16:57.199><c
• </c> they'll continue in the agricultural they'll continue in the agricultural industry<01:11:35.960>
• </c><01:44:04.119><c> there</c> sciences and precision agriculture there sciences and precision agriculture
• And thank you, Dean Burr, for all the work you do for agriculture, but not only agriculture, all the
• </c> what the future holds for agriculture what the future holds for agriculture research<02:00:57.280

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:24.960><c> related</c> will focus on the agriculture related will focus on the agriculture
• It supports actually many of the same activities that the agricultural state special supports.
• It supports actually many of the same activities that the agricultural state special supports.
• </c><00:32:16.600><c> State</c><00:32:16.960><c> special</c> that the agricultural State special that
• in order to ensure that accounts coding in order to ensure that that<01:26:39.000><c> happens</c><01

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It will streamline the fire code regulation and be more efficient fire and public safety protection for
• 00:02:34.560><c> streamline</c><00:02:35.200><c> the</c><00:02:35.519><c> fire</c><00:02:35.840><c> code
• </c> It will streamline the fire code It will streamline the fire code regulation<00:02:36.800><c> and
• Usually all the FFA groups go to agriculture,<00:15:53.199><c> but</c><00:15:53.440><c> today</c><00:
• , but today we've got a group agriculture, but today we've got a group with<00:15:54.320><c> us</c><00

Committee: House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, and welcome to the Senate Agricultural Committee.
• The Department of Agriculture has the distinction of having the most dedicated funds of any agency in
• The Department of Agriculture has the distinction of having the most dedicated funds of any agency in
• The Department of Agriculture has a few different enhancements.
• The Department of Agriculture has a few different enhancements.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs