Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to quote one of my colleagues, Senator Leas, who, when we talked about this issue and the claim
• I'm going to quote one of my colleagues, Senator Leas, who, when we talked about this issue and the claim

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders, joined by Speaker Laurie Jinkins and House Finance Chair April Berg, introduced a “Millionaire’s Tax” proposal and framed it as a way to reduce Washington’s reliance on sales tax and B&O tax while raising revenue from the state’s highest earners. They said the bill is a starting point and will continue to change through negotiations with the governor, business groups, local governments, and lawmakers. The leaders also said the proposal is intended to support education, health care, public safety, and tax relief measures such as sales tax exemptions on hygiene products, an expanded working families tax credit, a larger small business tax credit, and an early end to the B&O surcharge. The governor had already said he could not support the bill in its current form, which the sponsors said surprised them because they had spoken positively with him the day before. They said the bill will not be the same by the time it reaches his desk and that they expect continued talks to address his concerns, including more money for small business relief and the working families tax credit. They also defended the bill’s structure, saying it mirrors the state capital gains tax, uses Washington’s capital gains definition, and includes credits intended to prevent double taxation for pass-through businesses and others already paying B&O or related taxes. Much of the discussion focused on criticism from Republicans and outside groups that the proposal amounts to a marriage penalty or could drive away high earners and tech businesses. Democratic leaders rejected those concerns, saying the tax applies only to income above $1 million, that the first million is taxed at zero, and that the state would still compare favorably with other income-tax states. They said about 30,000 taxpayers would be affected and estimated the bill would raise roughly $3.5 billion, with about 5% dedicated to county public defense costs. They also said the bill is not subject to cutoff because it affects state revenue, and that the Senate public hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Ways and Means, with the House expected to hear the Senate version later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically for LEAs, this includes a decrease of $5.7 million Proposition 98 General Fund to assist
• Specifically for LEAs, this includes a decrease of 5.7 million Proposition 98 general fund to assist
• Additionally, for the non-LEA side, this includes a decrease of $2.7 million non-Proposition 98 General
• And then On the next question, on robust Proposition 98 growth and unique LEA costs for administering
• While LEAs received a full 2.87% COLA, ECE professionals did not.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• development, there are also startup and ongoing costs associated with training and communicating with LEAs
• development, there are also startup and ongoing costs associated with training and communicating with LEAs
• MDE could simply collect whether an LEA has a system and whether it were a local model or BCA or the
• MDE could simply collect whether an LEA has a system and whether it were a local model or BCA or the
• false reports received, the method by which the report was received, and I believe what system the LEA

Transcript Highlights:

• Now I will call on the gentlelady from Lea County, Representative Cortez.
• Gentlelady from Eddy and Lea, Representative Brown. At that, I stand for questions. There's debate.
• Gentlelady from Eddy and Lea, Representative Brown. Thank you, Mr.
• The gentleman from Lea, Representative Pettigrew. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bills: HB111 , HJR1 , HB61 , HB8 , HB30 , HB43 , HB156 , HJM2 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB70 , SB3 , HJM3

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think having opportunities to give LEAs, or local educational agencies, or districts opportunities
• These qualities are important to ensure that the state supports LEAs in the important work that they
• These qualities are important to ensure that the state supports LEAs in the important work that they

Summary: The committee first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Arthur Krantz to the Public Employment Relations Board and Christopher Ferguson, Brian Haynes, Anna Marie de Mars, and Ronald Fiore to the Student Aid or Student Athletic commissions, all by unanimous 5-0 votes. It also approved references of bills to committees by a 5-0 vote. The committee then heard from Julia Montgomery, nominated for a third term as General Counsel of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, who described her work on farmworker rights, outreach, and enforcement of labor protections. Members questioned Montgomery closely about card-check unionization procedures, signature authenticity, outreach to Spanish-speaking and indigenous-language farmworkers, make-whole enforcement delays, and a long-running Tri-Fanucchi farm case. Montgomery said objections and unfair labor practice charges can be investigated, that signature verification is handled by board staff rather than her office, and that delays often stem from appeals, difficulty locating workers, employer obstruction, and court backlogs. Vice Chair Grove voted no, while Senators Laird and Reyes supported the nomination; the committee advanced Montgomery to the full Senate on a 3-2 vote. The committee then considered three State Board of Education appointments: Cynthia Glover Woods, Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez. In opening statements, all three emphasized long careers in public education and support for students, teachers, and families. Questions focused on math achievement, the 2023 math framework and access to Algebra I in middle school, transitional kindergarten, community schools, and the effectiveness of education spending. The nominees said the framework still allows ready eighth graders to take Algebra I, pointed to new instructional materials, professional learning, TK expansion, and community schools as key improvements, and said they had not been involved in the governor’s proposed education governance changes. Public witnesses and education groups testified in strong support. The committee advanced Glover Woods 3-1, Lewis 4-1, and Gonzalez 3-1 to the full Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to our committee for the first time this year, Senator Leas.
• Good to see you, Chair Leas. I was listening closely when I wasn't distracted by my cell phone.
• Hi, Chair Leas. Good to see you.

Bills: SB6192 , SB6206 , SB5346 , SB6125 , SB5841 , SB5907 , SB5951

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Keywords: education, reading, mathematics, student intervention, instruction, academic standards, child care, first responders, incentives, pilot program, mobile phones, cell phones, smartphones, school phones, classroom distraction, digital citizenship, media literacy, internet safety, cyberbullying, student mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• So we will be going in order from the top, because I do see that Senator Leas is here to speak to his
• Senator Leas, good morning. Welcome to the Housing Committee. Please tell us about your bill.
• Thank you very much, Senator Leas. Do we have any questions for the prime sponsor?

Bills: SB6091 , SB6096 , SB6153 , SB6200

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: SB 6091, Washington real estate, real estate broker, residential property, home listings, exclusive listing, limited marketing, open marketing, fair housing, brokerage law, consumer protection, housing access, MLS, seller disclosure, buyer representation, dual agency, designated broker, managing broker, short sale, real estate pamphlet

Transcript Highlights:

• So we will be going in order from the top, because I do see that Senator Leas is here to speak to his
• Senator Leas, good morning. Welcome to the Housing Committee. Please tell us about your bill.
• Thank you very much, Senator Leas. Do we have any questions for the prime sponsor?

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard public testimony on several bills. SB 6091 would prohibit real estate brokers from marketing residential properties to limited or exclusive groups unless the listing is also marketed to the general public and all brokers, with exceptions for health or safety and private party sales. The sponsor and supporters, including Washington Realtors, Habitat for Humanity, Zillow, the Fair Housing Center, and others, said the bill promotes transparency, competition, and fair housing by preventing “pocket listings” and insider access. Opponents, including Compass representatives and some brokers, argued it would limit homeowner autonomy, harm privacy-sensitive sellers such as seniors, and create legal risk for brokers; the Attorney General’s office said it supported the competitive goal but wanted a different enforcement mechanism than WLAD. The committee later closed testimony on SB 6091 without taking final action in the hearing. The committee also heard SB 6200, which would allow tenants and residents in manufactured home communities to install portable cooling devices, subject to safety, code, and electrical restrictions, and would require landlords to notify tenants of their rights and limitations. The prime sponsor and many public health, tenant, and climate advocates said the bill is needed to prevent heat-related illness and death during extreme heat events, especially for renters in older or low-income housing who lack built-in cooling. Landlord and property management groups supported the idea of portable floor units but raised concerns about window-mounted devices, citing fall hazards, property damage, and insurance issues. Testimony emphasized that the bill includes liability protections for landlords and is intended as a narrow public health measure. The committee then heard SB 6096, which would require cities and towns collecting water and sewer connection charges to offer a deferred payment option for qualifying residential construction until final inspection or certificate of occupancy. The sponsor and builders’ groups said deferral would reduce upfront financing costs and help housing production. Cities and utility districts opposed the bill, arguing it shifts financial risk to utilities and ratepayers, complicates infrastructure planning, and could delay or reduce needed system investments. Finally, the committee heard SB 6153, which would create a senior independent housing ombuds program, require registration of senior independent housing facilities, and make certain landlord-tenant violations subject to Consumer Protection Act enforcement. The sponsor said the bill responds to complaints from seniors in independent living settings who lack an ombuds or other practical recourse, while staff noted the bill carries an estimated $4.4 million biennial fiscal impact.

Transcript Highlights:

• , when I came to the organization, I had the opportunity to start working nationally with SEAs and LEAs
• Some of the evaluations we're doing in the system are at the LEA level. They're for all schools.
• All schools in the district are affected by that evaluation at the LEA level.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also allows districts to form regional consortia to share coaching costs and requires each LEA to
• development fund dollars, while allowing districts to form regional consortia to be more efficient, and each LEA

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee met on April 29, 2026, with a quorum present and heard several higher education and K-12 bills. SB 234 by Sen. Presley, which would provide grading for medical school students, was briefly discussed and reported favorably without objection. SB 142 by Sen. Reese, dealing with continued management and oversight of Board of Regents support fund matched endowments if a related constitutional amendment passes, drew questions about endowment matching, oversight, and the roughly $75 million in unmatched requests; it was also reported favorably without objection. SB 482 by Sen. Reese, expanding the role of career coaches in middle and high school graduation planning and reporting on career development fund spending, received support from BESE and others, with committee members discussing counselor workload and district flexibility; it was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up SB 64 by Sen. Hodges, which would require two people to review initial video/audio recordings from cameras in self-contained classrooms when complaints arise, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 1063 by Rep. Owen, a broad higher education governance bill that would increase board oversight of curriculum, hiring, faculty senates, and discipline, generated extensive discussion and testimony from Rep. Owen and a representative of Parents Defending Education Action, but the author said he did not want to vote on it yet and moved to voluntarily defer it; the committee agreed without objection. HB 818 by Rep. Riser, as amended, was converted into a reporting bill requiring public inventories and state reporting on assessments, with Cynthia Posey of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers explaining the amendments; the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably with one opposition card noted. Finally, SB 28 by Sen. McMath, carried by Rep. Carver, would lower the age for associate teachers from 25 to 21 to help address the teacher shortage; Department of Education staff said the change could expand the pipeline, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee also announced it would meet the following week on Wednesday, May 6, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Local effort assistance, LEA funds, as they call them, the levy equalization that helps property-poor
• There's a legislation from Senator Leas.

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability focused on the final stretch of the legislative session, with repeated criticism of Democratic budget proposals and several policy bills. They said they were especially concerned about an environmental crimes bill they argued would impose excessive penalties for workplace mistakes, as well as bills they described as anti-law-enforcement, including measures related to police face coverings and sheriff qualifications. They also discussed a proposed income tax, calling it unconstitutional and urging that it be sent to referendum if it advances. A major topic was the operating, transportation, and capital budgets. Republicans said the operating budget relies on one-time fund sweeps, raids the rainy day fund and pension assets, and assumes future income-tax revenue while cutting Medicaid, child care, schools, and other services. They said the transportation budget has some positive emphasis on road preservation but criticized ferry funding and the proposed sweep of the Public Works Trust. On the capital budget, they were less specific and described it as generally bipartisan. The lawmakers also addressed reports of fraudulent or duplicate sign-ins on the income-tax bill, saying any abuse should be investigated but that many duplicate entries may have been accidental rather than malicious. They said the system should be improved with better verification, but maintained that more than 100,000 unique people had signed in opposition. Other issues discussed included opposition to using pension funds to balance the budget, criticism of a Sound Transit proposal for 75-year bonds, concerns about a bill requiring arbitration before lawsuits against the state or local governments, and objections to child care budget changes they said would hurt rural and property-poor communities without broader regulatory reform.

Transcript Highlights:

• This problem can be compounded for school districts that in some cases have lost LEA funding at the same
• time that In some cases have lost LEA funding at the same time that they're experiencing that other

Summary: House Finance met on Friday, January 23rd, and heard three bills. On House Bill 2194, staff explained that the bill would allow a county and a city within that county to both impose the cultural access sales and use tax at the same time, with the county providing a credit for the city tax. Representative Parsley said the change would let more jurisdictions support cultural, arts, science, and school-related programs. Olympia and Thurston County officials testified in support, describing grant funding for cultural organizations, free programming, and school access benefits; a committee member raised a question about how the change could affect county bond obligations. The committee then heard House Bill 2089, which would narrow a B&O tax preference for first mortgage interest by removing the requirement that a financial institution be located in 10 or more states, and direct the resulting revenue to the wildfire response, forest restoration, and community resilience account. Staff said the bill would raise significant revenue and have implementation costs for the Department of Revenue. Representative Scott said the bill was intended to restore wildfire funding and limit the preference to community banks, while opponents from the Washington Bankers Association and Community Bankers of Washington warned the bill could harm community banks and mortgage lending if not drafted carefully. The Department of Natural Resources and a public employee representative supported restoring wildfire preparedness funding. Finally, the committee heard a proposed third substitute for House Bill 1960, which would replace property taxation for new or repowered large renewable energy facilities and battery storage systems with a state and local excise tax structure, while also creating a local investment distribution account and a tribal capacity grant program. Staff and the sponsor described the bill as a way to reduce property tax shifts onto nearby taxpayers and provide more stable, predictable revenue for local governments and tribes. County officials, assessors, treasurers, and some clean energy and conservation groups supported the concept but asked for clearer definitions, payment timing, and rate adjustments; utilities and renewable developers said they supported the goal but opposed the bill as drafted because of concerns about the rates and the treatment of centrally assessed utilities. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings on all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• asked the district about whether or not they had the training documented, they said they relied on the LEA
• Once we pushed further and reached out to the LEA, they were able to provide training records for two

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee received a presentation from Auditor General staff on recurring findings from audits of district school boards, colleges, and universities. For school districts, the main issues discussed included missing or outdated safe-school officer training documentation, weak purchasing-card controls, vendor banking-change fraud risks, incomplete background screenings and disqualification-list procedures, missing website budget disclosures, excessive or untimely IT access, late deactivation of former employees’ access, missed emergency drill deadlines, inaccurate capital outlay and resiliency education records, weak tangible property inventories, adult education reporting errors, untimely bank reconciliations, and improper use of workforce development funds. The auditors said many of these issues are repeated from prior years and are summarized in their annual report on significant findings and financial trends. For universities and colleges, the auditors highlighted similar control weaknesses, including vendor information change controls, IT access issues, cash and investment reconciliation problems, purchasing and procurement deficiencies, personnel and compensation issues, and student fee compliance concerns. Specific examples included a UF consulting contract totaling about $6 million, FAU underreporting carry-forward balances by about $77 million, UCF’s payment loss of about $107,000 from an email scam tied to vendor changes, and a North Florida College unauthorized transfer involving a few hundred thousand dollars. The committee asked questions about the UF consulting work, the FAU carry-forward issue, and whether the listed findings meant every named entity had every issue; auditors clarified that the lists reflected entities with findings in those categories, not necessarily each specific problem. The committee then turned to enforcement for entities with long-standing uncorrected audit findings. Staff reported 144 entities with 197 findings repeated in three or more successive audit reports and recommended sending letters requesting updated corrective-action status, including for late-filed 2022-2023 reports where appropriate. The committee approved the staff recommendation and directed letters to be sent. The meeting ended with members emphasizing the importance of audit oversight and taxpayer accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• After that, so starting in 2040, the only options that exist are for frontier LEAs, which are very, very
• After that, so starting in 2040, the only options that exist are for frontier LEAs, which are very, very
• there is unfortunately well-documented misinterpretation of existing law concerning the authority of LEAs
• Education Code clearly states that LEAs do have jurisdictional authority over cyberbullying that takes
• Now, the governance teams of LEAs throughout California play a vital role in ensuring student success

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a full agenda of bills, first adopting a consent calendar of 11 measures without individual presentations. The committee then took up AB 1412, which would require California schools to implement or adopt a transferred special education student’s IEP within 30 days for out-of-state transfers and to coordinate more quickly on records. The author and military-family witnesses said the bill would reduce delays for highly mobile students, especially military children; a school administrators group opposed it. The bill received initial support from committee members and was moved on call. The committee also reconsidered AB 281, which would require notice to parents when outside consultants provide sex education instruction; the author accepted amendments removing a copy-right provision, but the bill remained on call after a split vote. The committee heard AB 1005, which would create a statewide drowning-prevention education and swim-lesson voucher framework for underserved communities. The author and supporters described drowning as a preventable public health and equity issue, while the bill was clarified as developing a plan rather than immediately launching a voucher program. It was voted out on a 3-0 roll with the measure placed on call. AB 908, as amended, would add compliance monitoring for existing requirements that schools use LGBTQ-inclusive instructional materials and curriculum under the FAIR Act. Supporters said the bill would improve implementation and student safety; opponents raised concerns about privacy, girls’ sports, and school burdens. The committee approved the bill 5-2 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 1401, which would affirm parents’ access to school records, including unofficial records unless exempt by law. The author argued that parents need clearer access to information held by schools and vendors, while school officials and teachers’ union representatives warned the bill was too vague and could sweep in personal notes, journals, and other sensitive material. The bill failed on a 2-3 vote and was placed on call. Finally, AB 727 would require student ID cards to include the Trevor Project hotline for LGBTQ youth; supporters framed it as a suicide-prevention measure, while opponents argued it conflicted with parental rights and religious beliefs. Committee discussion focused on whether 988 already provides similar access and whether the Trevor Project is an appropriate resource to print on IDs; the hearing continued with the bill still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is the microgrid in Lea County, which has said they're going to use two gigawatts of natural gas
• You said that there is another site in Lea County that is going to be powered by natural gas.
• Okay, Madam Chair, I guess my next question then in Lea County is: is that going on state land, on BLM

Bills: SB78 , SB235 , SB22 , SB310

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: nuclear energy, renewable energy, sustainability, carbon emissions, energy regulation, microgrid, zero carbon resources, Public Regulation Commission, energy generation, electric utilities, motor vehicle manufacturers, licensing, dealers, franchise agreements, consumer protection, water supply, sewage improvements, environment, funding, Mora County

Transcript Highlights:

• There is the microgrid in Lea County, which has said they're going to use two gigawatts of natural gas
• You said that there is another site in Lea County that is going to be powered by natural gas.
• Okay, Madam Chair, I guess my next question: then in Lea County, is that going on state land, on BLM

Bills: SB78 , SB235 , SB22 , SB310

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 78, which would classify nuclear energy as renewable energy. Senator Thornton and supporters argued that New Mexico needs dispatchable, baseload power and that nuclear should be added to the state’s renewable portfolio standard because wind and solar are intermittent and require extensive land, mining, and battery storage. Supporters also emphasized nuclear’s zero-carbon profile, the safety record of U.S. Navy reactors, the possibility of small modular reactors, and the fact that New Mexico already uses nuclear-generated electricity from out of state. Opponents, including Senator O’Malley and Senator Charlie, argued nuclear is not renewable because it relies on finite uranium and creates long-lived radioactive waste, and they raised concerns about uranium mining impacts, waste storage, and the bill’s lack of a limiting principle. The committee voted 5-4 to do not pass the bill, with Senators Cervantes, Hamblen, O’Malley, Lopez, and Charlie voting yes on the do-not-pass motion and Senators Ezell, Scott, and Thornton voting no; the chair then explained that the vote reflected disagreement over whether nuclear should be labeled renewable, not opposition to nuclear power itself. The committee then heard Senate Bill 235, the Microgrid Oversight Act, with a committee substitute. Sponsor Senator Steinborn said the substitute would restore existing renewable benchmarks for microgrids, require large microgrids to meet zero-carbon targets by 2045, add reporting and PRC oversight, and close a loophole that could let utilities buy microgrid power and shift costs to ratepayers. Supporters, including environmental groups and community advocates, said the bill was needed to regulate large data-center microgrids such as Project Jupiter in Doña Ana County, which they said could drive major emissions, ozone, and nitrogen oxide pollution, strain water supplies, and undermine state climate goals. They also argued the bill would protect ratepayers and ensure transparency and community benefits. Opponents, including Americans for Prosperity, the Chamber of Commerce, oil and gas associations, Xcel Energy, PNM, Consumer Energy Alliance, and economic development groups, argued the bill would impose unnecessary regulation on private microgrids, slow investment, raise costs, and reduce flexibility for reliability projects and industrial development. They said microgrids are already regulated for safety and interconnection, and that the bill could discourage projects in New Mexico. In response, Steinborn said the bill was necessary because current law leaves a loophole for large polluting microgrids and because several major projects are already planned or underway. The committee heard extensive public testimony on both sides, but the transcript ends before a final vote on SB 235 is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill then requires SBE to ensure that test scores and data are received by LEAs by July 1st rather
• All it is is that if schools choose to, the LEA...
• All it is is that if schools choose to, the LEAs, and that gives them back to their local authority,

Summary: The meeting covered a very large number of bills across multiple committees, with most items presented on consent calendars and several sponsors explaining their measures. Education bills focused on moving statewide testing later in the school year, allowing paper testing by local choice, increasing transparency around district administrator pay, expanding religious excusal policies, creating a school fitness recognition program, and sending a resolution to voters to require sex-based designation of school sports teams and private spaces. Federalism and Government items included bans on foreign contributions to ballot-measure committees, a proposed ballot measure to eliminate voting centers and return to precinct-based voting, memorials urging withdrawal from the United Nations and the IMF, penalties for late agency financial reporting, restrictions on state contracts with China, and a bill limiting use of ADS-B aviation data for fee collection. Commerce bills addressed digital goods disclosure, child influencer trust accounts, liability for river outfitters, marketplace contractor termination rights, utility submetering charges, unemployment eligibility checks, and association-based health plans. Health and human services measures included lactation consultant certification and Medicaid breastfeeding support, a ban on gender transition procedures for minors, a requirement that chief medical officers hold active licenses, technical ambulance definitions, a SNAP waiver request to restrict non-eligible food purchases, hospital collection of patient immigration status, and enrollment verification for AHCCCS-related hospital presumptive eligibility. Judiciary bills included consent-verification requirements for online sexual material, a civil cause of action for DEI policy violations, hate-crime-style enhancements that also cover political affiliation, name-change disclosure rules for sex offenders, penalties for possession of falsified commercial driver’s licenses by unlawfully present persons, penalties for mailing abortion-inducing drugs, speed-inhibiting devices as an alternative to license suspension, longer transition services for inmates, stronger penalties for sexual extortion of minors, and legislative oversight of state shooting range closures. Natural resources and water bills dealt with brackish groundwater recovery and desalination studies, water augmentation authority financing, HOA drought-year watering restrictions, water-rate parity for customers outside city limits, and groundwater transportation from the McMullen Valley basin. Other topics included a ban on PFAS firefighting foam, restrictions on vaccine and mask mandates by governments and businesses, protections against employment or service discrimination based on medical interventions, elimination of long-vacant state positions, consumer protections against device disabling after owner modifications, and restrictions on Chinese-made critical infrastructure. The committee also heard a Space Commission update bill and a continuation of the Arizona Beef Council. Several bills were pulled from consent or flagged for amendments or legal concerns, including the testing-window bill, student directory information bill, river outfitter liability bill, ambulance bill, and others. No final floor votes were taken in the transcript, but many bills were advanced on third-read or consent calendars, while a few were set aside for amendments or further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Leas. Thank you, Chair Wellman, members of the committee.
• Good to see you, Chair Leas. I was listening closely when I wasn't distracted by my cell phone.
• Hi, Chair Leas. Good to see you.

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 6192, which would expand structured literacy and numeracy requirements, add a third-grade math intervention process similar to the existing reading “gate,” create annual STAR teacher bonuses for selected math and ELA teachers, and require updated teacher endorsement standards. The sponsor, Sen. Braun, said the bill is meant to refocus districts on core academics and use research-based instruction while still allowing local flexibility, especially in math. OSPI said it supports the bill’s goals but raised concerns about the teacher award structure and access to student-level data. ESD representatives also flagged implementation issues with the award program. Testimony was split: some parents, students, and reading advocates opposed the bill as too prescriptive or too reliant on phonics and standardized testing, while others supported stronger academic intervention and accountability. No vote was taken. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6206, a pilot program to incentivize child care providers to serve children of first responders through grants administered by the Department of Commerce, with local matching funds and a report on recruitment and retention outcomes. Sen. Dhingra said the bill addresses a major barrier for police, firefighters, EMTs, and crisis workers, especially women leaving the field because of child care challenges. Testimony from law enforcement officers, union representatives, and a national law enforcement child care foundation strongly supported the bill, describing unpredictable schedules, last-minute overtime, and the need for nontraditional and sick-child care. Senator Wilson asked about existing non-standard-hours child care bonuses and whether the proposal should instead be housed at DCYF; staff explained the current subsidy program and that this bill would create a separate Commerce pilot. No vote was taken. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5346 on student mobile device use in public schools. The bill would add mobile devices to digital citizenship instruction, direct OSPI to compile research and best practices, and require reports on school policies limiting phone use during instructional hours, with final recommendations due in 2028. Sen. Leas argued that phones are distracting, harm learning and mental health, and should be restricted in schools while still teaching responsible use. Testimony was largely supportive from students, parents, educators, and researchers who described improved engagement, fewer disruptions, and better school climate under phone restrictions; several urged a stronger bell-to-bell statewide policy. Opponents raised concerns about emergency communication, student safety, and local control. The hearing on the bill was closed without a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• As staff bring up my presentation, it's good to be with you all, Senator Leas, other members of the committee
• If you've ever been there, I know Senator Leas has, and I took Chair Phi on a similar tour this year.
• That's Senator Leas there visiting the Garfield County Public.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department worked very closely with Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to develop a rule that would
• A great example of the work LEAs are doing is Student Nutrition Director Debbie Trujillo at Bernalillo
• provide school districts with specific feedback based on the results for their Local Education Agency (LEA

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee