Transcript Highlights:

• Next up is Steve Alm, Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu.
• </c> We also have shortage of attorneys. We also have shortage of attorneys.
• . attorneys. attorneys.
• Yeah, I'm an attorney. That's your attorney skill. I'm not an attorney.
• </c> I'm not an attorney. I'm not an attorney.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee first took up decision-making on two judicial nominations heard the previous day. Governor’s Message 796, naming Annalisa En Bernard Lee as Circuit Court Judge for the Second Circuit (Maui County), and Governor’s Message 797, naming Michael K. Soong as Circuit Court Judge for the Fifth Circuit (Kauai), were both recommended for consent and adopted by unanimous roll-call votes. The committee then heard testimony on Governor’s Message 801, the nomination of Vladimir P. Devens as Chief Justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. Support came from the Governor’s office, Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm, Honolulu Managing Director Michael Formby, the Hawaii Association for Justice, United Public Workers, HGEA/AFL-CIO, the Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association, labor and trade unions, retired Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, retired judges, bar and court officials, and many other individuals and organizations. Supporters emphasized Devens’ legal experience, work ethic, labor-law background, community ties, mentorship, and ability to manage the judiciary and address the appellate backlog. A few speakers opposed the nomination, including Chuck Freedman, who raised concerns about union influence and potential conflicts, and others who submitted opposition testimony. Devens also testified, describing his Honolulu upbringing, education at UC Berkeley, six years with the police department, and more than 30 years in private practice before joining the Supreme Court. He said the chief justice role is primarily an administrative one, highlighted his experience with bar and judicial administration committees, and identified reducing the appellate backlog as a major priority. No vote was taken on GM 801 during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Russell Brown, the executive director for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, here
• The bill also requires the Attorney General to do a number of things, including, first, developing a
• The bill also requires the Attorney General to do a number of things, including, first, developing a
• The Office of the Attorney General will incur the major costs for this bill.
• Our fiscal note outlines the cost for the Attorney General's Office to do the following: enforce the

Bills: HB2675, HB2681, HB2714, HB2688, HB2481, HB2116, HB1408

Keywords: accounts, finance, business regulation, transparency, audits, cannabis, license fees, regulatory framework, revenue generation, legalization, HB 2714, caseload forecasting, food assistance, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state food assistance, budget forecasting, caseload forecast council, caseload forecast supervisor, Washington State

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate's second substitute bill in your electronic bill book, and it provided responses from the Attorney
• The Attorney General, in their response, states that the cost to them would be minimal because they would
• There would be indeterminate costs at the Office of the Attorney General to conduct enforcement of the
• The bill was carefully developed in collaboration with the Attorney General's Office, which supports
• Director at the Attorney General's Office, and I am representing our office, testifying in support of

Bills: SB5420, SB5877, SB5868, SB5109, SB5832, SB5922, SB5944, SB5988, SB6065, SB6103, SB6151

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:47:11.040><c> just</c><01:47:11.280><c> took</c> think the drafting attorney just took think
• the drafting attorney just took the<01:47:11.639><c> original</c><01:47:12.080><c> bill</c><01:47:12.639
• He then said that reminded him he had some other things there: a testimony printed out from an attorney
• uh Eric printed it out from an attorney uh Eric Clopper<03:44:40.199><c> uh</c><03:44:40.680><c> he's
• </c><04:49:18.120><c> these</c> to prosecute these to prosecute these Physicians<04:49:20.200><c> um<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, the underlying bill here made a change that was passed by the House in criminal prosecutions
• Speaker, the underlying bill here made a change that was passed by the House in criminal prosecutions
• </c> misdemeanor sexual assault prosecutions misdemeanor sexual assault prosecutions and<02:01:52.159
• 02:02:20.480><c> uh</c><02:02:20.639><c> in</c><02:02:20.880><c> criminal</c><02:02:21.360><c> prosecutions
• </c><02:02:22.239><c> for</c> change uh in criminal prosecutions for change uh in criminal prosecutions

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But in any event, it's well known that the victims get arrested, prosecuted, and sometimes even convicted
• Attorney General Matt Gaetz faces numerous allegations of sex trafficking a minor and statutory rape.
• Immigrant victims are particularly vulnerable to being arrested and prosecuted for domestic violence
• Immigrant victims are particularly vulnerable to being arrested and prosecuted for domestic violence
• Prosecuting Prosecuting traffickers<04:26:57.520><c> Beyond</c><04:26:57.840><c> rescue</c><04:26:58.760

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• now, they, of course, have the ability to report it to State Police, and those cases should be prosecuted

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction met with a quorum and considered 10 bills. The committee advanced measures on crime victims’ awards (S.156), Inspector General review of sexual assault complaints in correctional facilities (S.429), expanded substance use programming access for non-English-speaking incarcerated people (S.863), preliminary license application procedures to identify criminal-history disqualifications early (S.1048, the PLAN Act), visitation rules for local correctional facilities (S.1892B), lethality assessments in domestic violence incidents (S.2280B), breast pumps for certain incarcerated nursing parents (S.2666A), time allowances when program completion is prevented by circumstances beyond an individual’s control (S.3974), health and human rights protections for incarcerated pregnant people and their children (S.4583A, the CARE Act), and visiting policies for incarcerated individuals (S.5037). Most bills were reported to Finance; S.1892B was reported from committee, and several members noted prior Senate passage or recurring support for some of the measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal behavior in the course of the background check, but it is something that has never been prosecuted

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee first considered the gubernatorial reappointment of Clayton Steele to the Board of Environmental Quality. Senator Harris moved to send the reappointment to the Senate floor with a recommendation for confirmation, Senator Blaylock seconded, and the committee approved it by voice vote. The committee then reviewed docket 16-0602-2501, foster care licensing rules, presented by Jared Larson of the Department of Health and Welfare with program manager Julie Subcheck available for technical questions. Larson highlighted implementation of kin-specific licensure, a change clarifying that a background check clearance does not prevent later revocation of a license, and a foster parent suitability standard allowing the department to deny licensure based on criminal conduct shown by a preponderance of the evidence even without a conviction. Senators asked about the 2023 age change from 21 to 23 for the program; Larson said participation had increased, he had not heard downsides, and the department would provide a written summary. The committee then approved the foster care licensing docket by voice vote. Finally, the committee considered docket 16-0613-2501, a pending rule repealing the Emergency Assistance for Families and Children chapter. Larson and division administrator Laura Denner explained the program is entirely federally funded and the existing state rules were essentially a copy of federal law, so the department was repealing the docket to avoid duplicating higher authority. With no questions from the committee, Senator Shippy moved to approve the repeal docket, Senator Blaylock seconded, and it passed by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• evidence that was not explored in the legislative committee or investigation, it would allow for prosecution

Bills: SB2, SB3, SB5, SB9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB34, SB18, SB 2, SB 3, SB 5, SB 9, SB 10, SB 14, SB 16, SB 18, SB 34

Keywords: flooding, public safety, outdoor warning sirens, disaster preparedness, emergency response, flood warning, outdoor sirens, local government, safety measures, flood management, emergency preparedness, municipal safety, disaster response, disaster relief, emergency funding, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• exemptions, such as wearing a mask for health, weather, or religious reasons from a defense to prosecution

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• exemptions, such as wearing a mask for health, weather, or religious reasons, from a defense to prosecution

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs considered a series of pending bills, most of them related to elections, public funds, criminal penalties, and related regulatory issues. The committee reported favorably several measures, including SB 1183 on electronic benefits transfer cards, SB 506 on ballot proposition procedures and conflicts with petition measures, SB 2742 on electioneering and unlawful use of public funds for political advertising, SB 1540 on confidentiality of personal information for election officials and employees, SB 2225 on a spirit cooler certificate, SB 2284 on regulation of air guns and archery equipment, SB 2595 on masking while harassing or intimidating, SB 3031 on aggravated assault, SB 2217 on election reporting technical corrections, SB 2514 on a criminal penalty increase tied to a DPS-related measure, SB 2876 on riot participation while masked, and SB 2877 on election fraud penalties. Several of these bills were also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar without objection. The committee adopted committee substitutes for SB 506, SB 2742, SB 2595, SB 2217, and SB 2514. The substitutes made mostly technical or clarifying changes, including giving the Secretary of State one opportunity to rewrite misleading ballot language, preventing conflicting measures from appearing on the same ballot, converting certain mask-related exemptions into affirmative defenses, clarifying election reporting language, and increasing a penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony in SB 2514. SB 2742’s substitute was described as a council draft with no real substantive changes. Votes were generally favorable, with most bills passing on unanimous or near-unanimous roll calls. SB 1183, SB 2742, SB 2225, SB 3031, and SB 2877 each had one nay; SB 2753 passed with 8 ayes, 1 nay, and 1 present not voting; and the remaining measures reported out unanimously. After completing the agenda, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I reached out to the<02:48:41.680><c> attorney</c><02:48:42.000><c> from</c><02:48:42.160><c> the
• They don't know how to prosecute it. They don't know what to do with it. Right?
• They don't know how to prosecute it. They don't know what to do with it. Right?
• </c><05:06:59.600><c> They</c> don't know how to prosecute it. They don't know how to prosecute it.
• </c><05:13:03.120><c> under</c> guard dog should not be prosecuted under guard dog should not be prosecuted

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not entirely sure I understood your question, but certainly anything like that would be the Attorney
• I have concern when it comes to the state attorneys and the public defenders.
• The state attorneys and the public defenders that are there have higher caseloads.
• And while I'm specifically talking about PDs and state attorneys, I would also extend that to the Attorney
• Martin Luther King Day, the Attorney General put out a statement that we should all be ashamed of.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . $35,000 after that, enforced by citizen complaints and the Attorney General.
• It's the paragraph that gives the Attorney General authority.
• I don't want to sound harsh, but I'm not worried about the convenience of the Attorney General to be
• I know it's just an accusation, and as an attorney, I will look at that as only an accusation.
• If I want to get that information as an attorney... ...paying for what we're talking about.

Bills: SB7, SB14, SB 7, SB 14

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct, abortion, civil liability, abortion-inducing drugs, qui tam actions, Texas Citizens Participation Act, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, healthcare regulations, impact fees, water conservation, reuse projects

Transcript Highlights:

• It makes a person who has been convicted or received a deferred prosecution for reckless interference
• It also adds an affirmative defense if, in any prosecution for urgent necessity, or where, under the

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on two major corridor projects before moving to public hearing and executive session. In the Yakima area, WSDOT, Yakima County, and Ecology described the Interstate 82/east-west connector work as a coordinated effort to add capacity, improve interchanges, and address the Boise Cascade mill site contamination that sits in the project footprint. County and Ecology witnesses said the county is ready to remove wood waste and contaminated material, but the project is stalled pending a draft work plan and a de minimis consent decree; several senators pressed for faster action and clearer direction from Ecology. The committee then heard an update on the SR 3 Belfair freight corridor, where WSDOT said environmental review is complete and the next major step is an access hearing this summer, followed by right-of-way acquisition and construction likely in late 2027 or early 2028. Local and tribal partners emphasized the project’s importance for freight mobility, housing growth, emergency access, and regional economic development. The public hearing was on engrossed substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources bill that largely tracks provisions from prior legislation but also adds or changes several tax and account provisions. Staff explained that the bill clarifies fuel tax and peer-to-peer tax distributions, treats trade-in value differently for recreational vessel and luxury vehicle taxes, provides a six-month motor home exemption and penalty waiver for the luxury vehicle tax, allows lease payments to be made over time, exempts tribal members and nonresidents, creates a Preserve Washington account, changes some transfer timing, and repeals the luxury aircraft tax. Testimony was mixed: aviation groups supported repealing the luxury aircraft tax; trucking and some citizens opposed fuel tax and diesel tax increases; Sound Transit, transit advocates, labor, and ferry interests asked for amendments such as 75-year bonding authority, mobile driver’s licenses, ferry funding, and bike education funding. Alaska Airlines and Delta also supported adding mobile ID language. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills, including SHB 1823, SHB 2114, E2SHB 2251, SHB 2323, SHB 2410, EHB 2588, 2SHB 1923, and HB 2495, all with due pass recommendations after adopting amendments where applicable. The committee adopted a striking amendment to E2SHB 2251 adjusting Climate Commitment Act account distributions and a striking amendment to EHB 2588 limiting the ferry district changes to Whatcom County and removing the voter-approval tax provision. It also adopted an amendment to 2SHB 1923 that added further conditions for passenger-only ferry districts, including whale-protection and fare-related provisions. Senator King voted no on E2SHB 2251, objecting that the bill reduced the transportation share of Climate Commitment Act revenues. The chair announced one more executive action meeting would be held Wednesday morning, with amendment requests due the prior day.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then anything else that, um, again, And the judge, prosecution, or defense thinks that they need
• , and when you restore them back to competency, they go back to the criminal court to then face prosecution

Transcript Highlights:

• measures to protect public institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries, and to the prosecution
• this is a bill we heard previously relating to less lethal force weapons, including a defense to prosecution

Bills: HB 1065, HB2929, HB2956, HB3009, HB3420, HB3626, HB3649, HB4956, HB4993, HB5293, HB5308, HB5528, HCR118, SB36, HB4023, SB 36

Keywords: employee classification, private security, misclassification, workforce regulations, Texas Workforce Commission, autism, peace officers, training program, law enforcement, intervention, communication, developmental disability, family violence, central database, criminal offense, registration, public safety, violent offenses, criminal database, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The JQC is the independent body charged with investigating and prosecuting allegations of misconduct
• shared with the state attorney's office, but there's also the need for it in order to potentially prosecute

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, many involving public records exemptions and government operations. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 342 on an Agency for Health Care Administration public records exemption for employees facing threats; SB 7018 preserving a public records exemption tied to parental consent/judicial bypass records for minors seeking abortions; SB 626 lowering quorum requirements and allowing remote participation for the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys; SB 710 protecting personal information of Crime Stoppers employees, board members, volunteers, and their families; SB 300 extending clerk personal-information protections to appellate court clerks; and SB 302 creating a similar exemption for Judicial Qualifications Commission employees. The committee also approved SB 7010 and SB 7008, which preserve and narrow public records exemptions related to the Department of Financial Services as receiver for insolvent insurers and the financial technology sandbox, respectively. The committee also heard and advanced several policy bills. SB 820 codifies the Office of Faith and Community in the Executive Office of the Governor; Senator Polsky questioned whether the office was duplicative of existing services and raised concerns about religion in state governance, while supporters argued it complements existing networks and helps connect Floridians to services. SB 1144 codifies the Hope Florida program, with supporters describing it as a connector to community resources and critics again raising concerns about overlap, private donations, and accountability; both SB 820 and SB 1144 passed on largely party-line votes with Senator Polsky voting no. SB 804 would redesignate the SS American Victory as the state flagship, but Senator Rodriguez opposed giving up the current flagship designation for the Key West schooner, though the bill still passed favorably. SB 214 designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day and passed without opposition. SB 1088 requires certain state customer-service phone lines to offer callback features, and SB 576 makes technical fixes to service-of-process law; both were reported favorably. Additional bills included SB 1524, a broad Department of State measure with a strike-all amendment that revises grant-review procedures, adds an America 250 funding focus, and changes commission-fee and oath requirements; Senator Arrington and Senator Polsky expressed concerns about reviewer qualifications, grant criteria, and the impact on arts and cultural programs, and both voted no while the bill still passed. SB 1640, on confidentiality of lethality assessment forms in domestic violence cases, was amended to allow disclosure to domestic violence centers while barring disclosure to state attorneys, and it passed favorably. SB 1160 expands health insurance premium benefits for certain officers catastrophically injured or killed in the line of duty; supporters from the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in support, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also confirmed eight appointments to the Florida Commission on Community Service, the Investment Advisory Council, the Public Employees Relations Commission, and the State Retirement Commission. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded on specific bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• A well-conducted forensic interview not only strengthens investigations and prosecutions, but also ensures
• A well-conducted forensic interview not only strengthens investigations and prosecutions, but also ensures

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Of higher education from foreign adversaries and to the prosecution of the criminal offense of theft

Keywords: 1185, senate, all