Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2605 relates to asbestos-containing building materials.
• As background, the use of asbestos-containing building materials in new construction or renovations in
• Asbestos-containing building materials means any building material that contains 0.1% asbestos by weight
• House Bill 2605 would change asbestos-containing building material to mean any building material that
• contains 0.25... ...asbestos-containing building material to mean any building material that contains

Bills: HB2496 , HB2575 , HB2605

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: tribal consultation, energy facilities, site evaluation, environmental impact, policy regulation, environmental regulation, reporting obligations, energy laws, compliance, business impact, HB 2605, Washington asbestos law, naturally occurring fibrous silicate, asbestos-containing building materials, fibrous silicate materials, asbestos labeling, construction materials, renovation, repair and maintenance, EPA method

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> entities our order book contains entities our order book contains companies<00:31:22.440><c> in<
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a single character: “e”.]

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Last July in my district, a massive fire broke out at a storage container site in northern Ector County
• Thanks to the heroic efforts of Odessa firefighters, the initial blaze was quickly contained.
• The bill requires containers to register with TCEQ and undergo annual inspections.
• The containers that we're seeking to address ...
• To address are containers that either do contain or recently contained regulated substances, which does

Bills: HB573 , HB1499 , HB1768 , HB3071 , HB3249 , HB3866 , HB4112

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Keywords: environmental enforcement, legislative oversight, inspection, concrete plants, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental product declaration, grant program, ready-mixed concrete, manufacturers, sustainability, concrete plant, concrete batch plant, wet batching, dry batching, central mixing, standard permit, TCEQ, environmental regulation, air quality, construction permit

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled utterance.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled utterance.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled utterance.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled utterance.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled utterance.]

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened with a hearing on CACR 7, a proposed constitutional amendment to explicitly state that defendants are innocent until proven guilty in all cases and suits brought by the state. The prime sponsor argued the amendment would strengthen due process, prevent government overreach, and extend the presumption of innocence beyond criminal cases into civil and administrative matters such as forfeiture and family court proceedings. In testimony and questioning, the sponsor cited New Hampshire constitutional provisions, historical examples, and concerns about courts shifting burdens onto individuals. Committee members raised questions about the amendment’s wording, its relationship to existing law, and whether it would have practical effect if current statutes already place the burden on the state. The hearing was then closed without further witnesses. The committee next moved to executive session on House Bill 480, which establishes a procedure for restoring competency and creates a pilot forensic liaison position in Merrimack or Strafford County to assist with that process. After discussion about prior concerns, including an email from the Disabilities Rights Center and whether enough members were present, the committee voted to adopt Amendment 2025-61H and then voted ought to pass as amended. The amendment passed unanimously, and the bill passed on a 10-1 roll call, with Representative Andrew voting no. The chair noted the bill would not go on consent and that no minority report was planned. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 666-FN, which would add restitution for violations of library-use confidentiality and expressly include library cards and membership status among confidential records. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen privacy protections after a local dispute and to provide a remedy and deterrent for improper disclosure. Committee questions focused on whether the restitution penalty would apply to accidental disclosures, how the bill interacts with existing exceptions such as court orders or investigations, and whether the language was consistent with current confidentiality law. The hearing remained open at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:51:15.599><c> sexually</c> section it it does not contain sexually section it it does not contain
• > sexually</c> library do or do not contain sexually library do or do not contain sexually specific<01
• </c> books provided by Fair Hope um contain books provided by Fair Hope um contain sexist<01:25:57.520
• in these books &gt;&gt; or the material contained in these books contain<01:27:57.280><c> sexually</
• So contain sexually explicit content.

Transcript Highlights:

• But inside of all of this, how do we find cost containment?
• But inside of all of this, how do we find cost containment?
• But inside of all of this, how do we find cost containment?
• But inside of all of this, how do we find cost containment?
• </c><00:43:26.760><c> where</c> were looking for Cost Containment where were looking for Cost Containment

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It contains a direct file program.
• It also contains the Department of Revenue's policy and technical bill. There's a TIF article.
• Um<00:03:09.680><c> it</c><00:03:09.880><c> contains</c><00:03:10.519><c> a</c><00:03:10.560><c> direct
• </c> Um it contains a direct file program. Um it contains a direct file program.
• the Department of of Um it also contains the Department of of revenues<00:03:57.080><c> policy</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• lead and cadmium, and 75% contained more lead than the FDA allows in candy.
• The same is true for fruits and vegetables, many of which contain trace levels of these elements due
• For example, one contains no calcium and insufficient levels of magnesium; another contains no magnesium
• Another contains no magnesium, omega-3s, and insufficient levels of calcium.
• And it is the case that some of those leafy greens might also contain the trace elements that we are

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills, with extensive testimony on maternal health, prenatal safety, valley fever, Medi-Cal care coordination, anti-discrimination protections in health care, and health data sharing. SB 32 would require time-and-distance standards for labor and delivery units in health plans; supporters said it addresses maternity care deserts and dangerous delays, while one opposition witness raised concerns. SB 646 would require testing and public disclosure of toxic elements in prenatal vitamins; supporters emphasized fetal and maternal safety and transparency, while opponents warned the bill could discourage use of prenatal vitamins or lead to products with fewer nutrients. Both bills were moved out of committee on due-pass motions as amended, with recorded roll-call support. The committee also advanced SB 313, which moves a parent’s birthplace from the public portion of a birth certificate to a confidential section to protect privacy; it passed with little opposition. SB 297 would require CDPH to annually identify high-incidence valley fever regions and publish them to improve screening and awareness; supporters cited the disease’s spread beyond the Central Valley and the need for earlier diagnosis, while county health officials were opposed unless amended. SB 324 would steer Medi-Cal enhanced care management and community supports contracting toward local community-based organizations and clarify related guidance; supporters said local nonprofits and promotoras are more effective, while children’s hospitals and health plans sought amendments. SB 418 would codify ACA nondiscrimination protections in state law and allow up to a 12-month supply of medically necessary hormone therapy; supporters framed it as protecting access and continuity of care, while opponents argued it could conflict with federal law and expand coverage for gender-affirming care. SB 660 would strengthen the California health data exchange framework by creating governance and accountability for data sharing across providers and social services; supporters said it would reduce duplication and improve coordinated care, and the bill passed to the next committee. The consent calendar and the other measures were also approved, with some items held on call for absent members before final passage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Both the authorization and the prohibition were contained in that bill.
• Both the authorization and the prohibition contained in that bill were set to expire on December 31,
• Every lane had a booth with a marine clerk to properly check in a driver and their container.
• It's not all about right now the container business in Seattle or right now the container business in
• Containers will move to other places in the future, and there will be other opportunities.

Summary: The committee heard four bills. On kit homes (ESSB 5552), staff explained the bill would direct the State Building Code Council to adopt rules for residential kit homes of 800 square feet or less by March 31, 2027. Prime sponsor Sen. Jeff Wilson said the bill would add housing options and asked that kit homes be treated as a distinct category from modular or factory-built structures; members asked whether current rules exist and whether the bill would cover 3D-printed homes. The public hearing was postponed, and later one supporter testified that the bill would help create clearer statewide standards without changing local zoning or safety requirements. On SB 5467, staff said the bill raises the thresholds for water-sewer districts to sell surplus property without notice or by private sale, increasing the personal property threshold to $5,400 and the real property threshold to $7,500. Sen. Keith Goehner said the change simply updates outdated limits to reflect inflation and improve efficiency. A representative of the Washington Association of Sewer and Water Districts supported the bill, noting the thresholds had not been updated since 2011 for real property and 1993 for surplus property. The committee closed the public hearing without action. The committee also heard SB 5820, which would repeal Clark County’s authority to apply a freight rail-dependent use overlay to certain lands under prior law. Sen. Adrian Cortes argued the existing exemption has harmed agricultural and forest lands, led to environmental violations, and cost taxpayers money, while local supporters said the overlay has not produced promised economic benefits and should be removed. Opponents, including a railroad operator, the Association of Washington Business, and others, said the rail line supports economic development, rail-served industrial demand, and existing contractual and public investments, and warned repeal could strand investments and limit future freight and climate-friendly transportation options. The hearing was closed with no vote. Finally, the committee heard SB 5995, which would remove the 2031 sunset from the existing prohibition on using public port funds to buy fully automated marine cargo container handling equipment, while continuing to allow zero- and near-zero-emission equipment purchases. The sponsor and labor witnesses said the bill protects family-wage jobs, keeps taxpayer money from subsidizing automation, and preserves human oversight for safety and efficiency. Port and shipping industry opponents argued the bill is premature, could reduce port competitiveness, and should remain subject to the current sunset so the policy can be revisited later. The public hearing was closed with no action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The conference committee report on House File 2115 contains bipartisan, bicameral support and was approved
• <00:01:41.000><c> House</c><00:01:41.240><c> File</c><00:01:42.160><c> 2115</c><00:01:43.480><c> contains
• </c><00:01:44.040><c> bipartisan,</c> for House File 2115 contains bipartisan, for House File 2115 contains
• I just didn't want to forget that this bill contains provisions from the Senate Health and Human Services
• Noor continued: “From Health and Human Services to Human Services, and the policy that we have contains

Summary: The House considered and adopted the conference committee report on House File 2115, a human services bill. Representative Schumacher, the House author, said the conference agreement preserved most of the House position while resolving differences with the Senate. Representative Noor described the report as bipartisan and bicameral, thanked conferees and staff, and said the bill includes provisions affecting personal care attendants, nursing home services, behavioral health, and substance use disorder. Representative Frederick also praised the collaborative process and said the bill contains important substance use disorder provisions and other policy changes. Members repeatedly thanked legislative staff, revisers, and agency staff for helping negotiate the final agreement. Schumacher said the conference process opened new opportunities to continue work in the health and human services area, and Noor noted that some provisions came from the Senate Health and Human Services work and from policy items previously in the budget bill. After discussion, the motion to adopt the conference committee report prevailed, the bill was given its third reading as amended by conference, and a roll call vote was taken. The bill was repassed as amended by conference by a vote of 124 ayes and 10 nays, and its title was agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> also contained in the DE amendment. also contained in the DE amendment.
• 57.679><c> those</c> broadly article one contains those broadly article one contains those appropriations
• Uh it also contains the appropriations.
• And then Article 3 contains conforming changes.
• Uh three contains conforming changes.

Bills: HF2438

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Direct Care and Treatment contains just over another billion dollars in base spending.
• MA elderly and disabled basic care contains $5.3 billion in base spending.
• MA long-term facilities contains $1.3 billion in savings.
• </c><00:09:54.440><c> $5.3</c> disabled basic care contains $5.3 disabled basic care contains $5.3 billion
• </c><00:43:35.599><c> here</c> how to bring some Cost Containment here how to bring some Cost Containment

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• In, for example, a paper container of some kind. So how would we reconcile that particular issue?
• PFOS-containing materials.
• And I don't believe solar panels manufactured here in our state have PFOS-containing materials.
• PFOS-containing materials.
• They actually have a ban on PFOS-containing solar panels in their community, Town of Avon.

Committee: Senate Environmental Conservation

Summary: The Senate Environmental Conservation Committee met with a quorum and a very full agenda, moving quickly through a series of environmental and natural resources bills. Early action included approving S.1343B, the clean fuel standard bill, which was referred to Finance with one nay. The committee then took up S.1464A, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, where supporters said it had been heavily amended to address industry concerns and protect public health by reducing packaging waste and toxic chemicals. Opponents, including Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Stec, raised concerns about costs, unintended consequences for business, agriculture, dairy, food safety, and consumer prices. Supporters argued the bill would reduce waste, protect people from toxins, and that many farms and dairy operations were exempted. The bill was advanced to Finance with two nays and one without recommendation. The committee also considered several bills tied to climate and energy policy. S.2712, sponsored by Senator Stec, would delay CLCPA implementation for 10 years and require a cost-benefit analysis; Stec argued New York has not adequately studied the law’s costs and cited rising utility bills, while Chair Harckham and others defended the state’s clean energy direction and said the bill would not move forward. S.3652, which would prohibit certain restrictions on motor vehicle sales, and S.5611, which would create a Climate Action Cost Council and limit annual climate-related rulemaking, were both voted down and not referred onward. By contrast, S.797A, the Mohawk River Basin Management Act, advanced to Finance with support from its sponsor, Senator Fahy. The committee then took up S.8933, Senator Helming’s bill to prohibit PFAS in photovoltaic modules. Helming said the bill was a common-sense measure to keep forever chemicals out of solar panels and protect water and soil; Harckham responded that the bill’s timeline would effectively halt the solar industry and said there was no evidence of PFAS leaching from solar panels. The bill was not advanced. The committee also advanced S.9206 on brush-fire area reed removal for Staten Island, S.9280 on open water data, S.9462 on deer management permits, S.963 on Atlantic bonito and false albacore management, and S.9479A on tidal wetlands definitions. In the final portion of the meeting, the committee rapidly approved a long slate of routine end-of-session fisheries and marine resource extender bills, including measures on sharks, lingcod, black sea bass, blueback herring, fluke, scup, commercial food fish licenses, special management areas, American eel, Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon, squid, and winter flounder.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2605 relates to asbestos-containing building materials.
• As background, the use of asbestos-containing building materials in new construction or renovations in
• Asbestos-containing building materials means any building material that contains 0.1% asbestos by weight
• House Bill 2605 would change asbestos-containing building material to mean any building material that
• contains 0.25% asbestos by weight or area.

Summary: The Environment and Energy Committee heard three bills. House Bill 2496 would expand tribal consultation in Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (FSEC) siting reviews by requiring the full council, rather than only the chair, to participate in government-to-government consultations with federally recognized tribes, allowing tribes to review and comment on consultation summaries before they go to the governor, and exempting those consultation meetings from the Open Public Meetings Act so long as no deliberation or commitments occur. The bill’s sponsor, tribal representatives from the Yakama Nation, and supporters from labor and conservation groups said it would better protect sensitive cultural and treaty resources; the Association of Washington Business opposed it, citing due process and ex parte concerns, while FSEC staff said they support the intent but have some wording concerns. House Bill 2575 would reduce or eliminate several reporting requirements for utilities and the Department of Commerce, including changing some annual reports to biennial or every-four-years reporting, removing heat-related utility disconnection reporting, and eliminating a Commerce report on utility resource plans and combined heat and power data. The sponsor and Commerce said the changes would streamline duplicative or unused reporting and focus staff time on more useful information, while an opponent warned that legislators should not lose information needed to assess resource adequacy and reliability. A question was raised about whether the bill would affect timely reporting under clean energy laws; Commerce said the bill does not change Clean Energy Transformation Act reporting and that those processes remain in place. House Bill 2605 would raise the asbestos threshold for certain building materials from 0.1% to 0.25% and exempt low-level naturally occurring fibrous silicate material in commercial aggregates, asphalt, and concrete from labeling, use, and inspection requirements. The sponsor said the bill would reduce construction and transportation costs and help use local materials for roads and other projects while still preventing deliberate addition of asbestos-like materials. The Washington Aggregate and Concrete Association supported the bill, saying it corrects an overbroad prior approach and that existing workplace safety laws should address any dust-related risks. The committee heard testimony on all three bills and then closed the hearings; no votes were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, basically LCL is things like that are not in containers. It's less than container load.
• It's less than are not in containers. It's less than container<00:48:35.200><c> load.
• We serve less than container load, whereas most shipping companies serve primarily just containers.
• </c> enough to fill up an entire container. enough to fill up an entire container.
• </c><00:53:24.079><c> We're</c> LCL 30% or container load 35%. We're LCL 30% or container load 35%.

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• to an elevation that can contain the marsh elevation we're looking for.
• NPMS contains all active major pipelines.
• So NPMS contains all active major pipelines.
• And then Sunrise just contains all lines that have submitted a permit.
• This shows here a couple buffer zones on our projects within containment dike templates and within a

Summary: The board met on January 21, 2026, approved the agenda and minutes, and received a CPRA implementation update from Executive Director Michael Hare. Hare reported about 103 active projects, with work focused on completing existing projects and moving more into construction. He highlighted several projects, including Port Fourchon shoreline protection, Northwest Little Lake marsh creation, Sugar Ridge Pump Station, a large RESTORE-funded marsh creation project, Schooner Bayou saltwater barrier rehabilitation, Cain Bayou marsh creation redesign, West Shore river reintroduction work, Morganza to the Gulf reaches, NERDA Raccoon Island restoration, and Chenier-O-Tig ridge restoration. He also reviewed recreation and partnership projects such as Bayou Pigeon and Destrehan boat launches, Grand Bayou Marsh Creation, Highway 1 terracing, and four Louisiana projects funded through the National Coastal Resilience Fund. Hare noted the annual plan public meetings were complete and the comment period remained open through February 17, 2026. Board members asked about the Rockefeller shoreline project, and Hare said the Corps and state agencies were working through geotechnical and environmental issues and that leadership remained committed to moving it forward. The board then heard a joint presentation from CPRA and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the White Lake Conservation Area and Management Plan. Officials described White Lake as a 72,000-acre property in Vermilion Parish with major habitat, recreation, and revenue functions, but said aging infrastructure, levee erosion, limited water control structures, and maintenance costs made a master plan necessary. The plan, finalized in October 2025, recommends coastal restoration projects, lodge and facility revitalization using private dollars, revenue-generation improvements, and long-term partnerships. Proposed work includes GIWW shoreline protection, Unit 2/Caddo levee stabilization, and north shoreline protection, with about $30 million already secured for engineering and construction and total needs estimated at roughly $120 million to $130 million. Officials also discussed broader habitat management, conservation incentives for private landowners, possible land acquisition in southwest Louisiana, and coordination with federal partners and other state agencies. Members praised the White Lake effort as a model of interagency collaboration and emphasized its importance for waterfowl habitat, public access, and tourism. Questions focused on funding sources, oil and gas revenue, and whether other agencies such as economic development and tourism should be involved. Several members also urged the state to apply similar management approaches to other refuges, including Sabine, Cameron Prairie, and Lacassine, where they said federal management has lagged. The discussion underscored a broader shift toward landscape-scale habitat management and public recreation investment. The final major presentation covered CPRA’s marsh creation design guidelines and related construction logistics. Staff explained that marsh creation makes up a large share of the coastal master plan and that the agency is updating its 2017 design guidelines after nearly a decade of use. The updates will address survey standards, geotechnical methods, dredge production estimates, construction monitoring, and oil and gas infrastructure conflicts. A second presentation reviewed safety, access, and logistics for marine construction, including equipment access routes, pipeline identification and coordination, cultural resources, private landowners, oyster resources, and permitting. Board members asked about reducing geotechnical costs, improving land-rights coordination, considering uncontained marsh creation where appropriate, and managing pipeline impacts; staff said they would consider those suggestions as part of the guideline updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, we're also looking at the stability of those earthen containment dike features.
• to an elevation that can contain the marsh elevation we're looking for.
• NPMS contains all active major pipelines.
• So NPMS contains all active major pipelines.
• And then Sunrise just contains all lines that have submitted a permit.

Summary: The board met at the State Capitol and approved the agenda and prior minutes after brief motions and no public comment. Executive Director Michael Hare then gave a CPRA implementation update, describing a large portfolio of active projects and highlighting several that are under construction, nearing bid, or recently awarded, including Port Fourchon shoreline protection, Caernarvon marsh creation, Schooner Bayou saltwater barrier rehabilitation, Cain Bayou marsh creation, West Shore river reintroduction work, Morganza to the Gulf, Raccoon Island restoration, Chenier-O-Tig ridge restoration, Bayou Pigeon and Dismal Swamp boat launches, Grand Bayou marsh creation, Highway 1 terracing, and several National Coastal Resilience Fund projects. He also noted the annual plan public meetings had concluded, with comments accepted through February 17, 2026, and answered board questions about the Rockefeller shoreline project, saying CPRA and the Corps were working through geotechnical and environmental issues and trying to move it forward. The board then received a joint presentation from CPRA and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the White Lake Conservation Area and Management Plan. Speakers described White Lake as a 72,000-acre property in Vermilion Parish with major freshwater marsh, wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing opportunities, and aging infrastructure that currently operates on limited self-generated revenue. The plan, finalized in October 2025, focuses on habitat protection, maintaining wildlife, supporting revenue generation, expanding controlled public access, and strengthening partnerships. Proposed priorities include GIWW shoreline protection, Unit 2/Caddo levee stabilization, and north shoreline protection, with about $30 million secured for engineering and design and total costs estimated around $120 million to $130 million. Officials also discussed a possible lodge revitalization funded only with private dollars, broader landscape-level habitat management, conservation incentives for private landowners, and potential land acquisition for additional public access. Board members and agency leaders emphasized the importance of White Lake to waterfowl habitat and public recreation, and one member urged similar management attention for Sabine, Lacassine, and Cameron Prairie refuges. The final major presentation covered CPRA’s marsh creation design guidelines. Staff explained that marsh creation remains a major share of the coastal master plan and current project pipeline, and reviewed how projects are built using dredged sediment, containment dikes, and pipeline systems. They said the 2017 design guidelines were intended to standardize minimum design and construction practices, but are now being updated to reflect lessons learned, current survey standards, geotechnical practices, construction methods, and issues such as oil and gas infrastructure and land rights coordination. Board members asked about reducing unnecessary geotechnical costs, improving land-rights timing, considering unconfined marsh creation where appropriate, and accounting for why marsh areas are failing in the first place. Staff said they would consider those suggestions as part of the guideline update and then moved into a follow-up presentation on safety, access, and logistics for marine construction in the coastal zone.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the bill, the underlying bill as introduced uh contains uh three proposals.
• Uh this bill also contains the uh anti-kickback proposal.
• <00:02:21.920><c> uh</c><00:02:22.080><c> three</c> contains uh three contains uh three proposals.<00
• the uh anti- Uh this bill also contains the uh anti- kickback<00:03:26.840><c> proposal.
• Uh the bill also contains a proposal 19.

Summary: The committee heard House File 2260, a Judiciary Committee clone of portions of the larger DHS policy bill, and adopted the A1 amendment, which was described as largely technical but also incorporating changes from the related human services bill. The bill was presented as covering several DHS-related policy areas, including background studies transparency, anti-kickback provisions for medical assistance and child care assistance, and personal data protections for human services judges. The amendment also added a number of provisions related to direct care and treatment, competency restoration billing and data sharing, fraud enforcement tools, behavioral health fund eligibility, and clarifications to prior law. Testimony from DHS Office of Inspector General legislative director Ardian Diddy emphasized that the bill would improve transparency in background studies, update investigative and arrest data access, extend a limited set-aside to similar provider types, and correct an effective-date error from last session. He also said the anti-kickback language would mirror federal Medicaid law for medical assistance and create a state-level prohibition for CCAP, giving DHS and law enforcement more tools to investigate fraud and misuse. Additional provisions would add human services judges to existing personal data protections for judicial officials. Diddy also explained amendment sections from the governor’s fraud package, including authority to act against entities convicted of fraud or theft, data-sharing improvements, and a disqualification from management and billing positions. Members raised questions about possible conflicts of interest involving DHS employees with outside LLCs and about the need for stronger safeguards against fraud. The chair and other members referenced recent fraud cases and said the bill would help prevent similar abuses. Christy Grumman of DHS testified on the judge privacy section, saying there are about 35 human services judges and describing a recent incident in which a judge received violent threats serious enough to require the family’s temporary relocation by the State Patrol. Representative Hudson supported the anti-kickback provisions as a needed codification of agency authority. The committee then approved the amended bill and recommended it be re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety, Finance, and Policy.

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1065 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2219 , HB2245 , HB2283 , HB2343 , HB2406 , HB2501 , HB2574 , HB1544 , HB1834 , HB2156 , HB2188 , HB2206 , HB2478 , HJM4012 , HB1104 , HB1152 , HB1254 , HB1443 , HB1982 , HB2006 , HB2179 , HB2203 , HB2297 , HB2322 , HB2329 , HB2379 , HB2388 , HB2399 , HB2462 , HB2464 , HB2495 , HB2544 , HB2551 , HB2636 , HB2192 , HB2251 , HB2262 , HB2266 , HB2298 , HB2320 , HB2323 , HB2351 , HB2401 , HB2405 , HB2442 , HB2523 , HB2593 , HB2632 , HB2661 , HB1496 , HB1898 , HB2095 , HB2157 , HB2225 , HB2274 , HB2311 , HB2325 , HB2333 , HB2476 , HB2508 , HB2552 , HB1343 , HB1634 , HB1707 , HB1906 , HB1909 , HB2196 , HB2244 , HB2339 , HB2361 , HB2384 , HB2389 , HB2410 , HB2468 , HB2475 , HB2521 , HB2548 , HB2619 , HB2637 , HB2720 , HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1065 , HB2125 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2245 , HB2283 , HB2343 , HB2406 , HB2501 , HB1544 , HB1834 , HB2188 , HB2206 , HB2478 , HJM4012 , HB1104 , HB1152 , HB1254 , HB1443 , HB1982 , HB2006 , HB2297 , HB2322 , HB2329 , HB2379 , HB2388 , HB2399 , HB2462 , HB2495 , HB2544 , HB2551 , HB2636 , HB2192 , HB2262 , HB2298 , HB2351 , HB2401 , HB2442 , HB2593 , HB2661 , HB1496 , HB1898 , HB2095 , HB2157 , HB2225 , HB2311 , HB2325 , HB2552 , HB1343 , HB1634 , HB1707 , HB2361 , HB2389 , HB2410 , HB2468 , HB2521 , HB2619 , HB2720 , HB1295 , HB1591 , HB2092 , HB2168 , HB2176 , HB2248 , HB2255 , HB2281 , HB2438 , HB2590 , HB2610 , HB2650 , HB2685 , HB1526 , HB1960 , HB2236 , HB2364 , HB2416 , HB1073

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled character.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled character.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled character.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled character.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only a filler/garbled character.]