Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation impacts people on a daily basis as they commute to work, go to school, visit the doctor
• In Windsor, a project to purchase new equipment to transport materials and support paving operations.
• Projects like these create safer streets for families and students getting to school, remove detours
• bill provides $200 million for the MBTA's rail reliability and modernization program to support the purchase
• They're purchasing battery-electric multiple units and then also Tier 4 diesel locomotives for parts

Bills: H5279

Keywords: municipal roads, bridges, transportation bond bill, infrastructure financing, capital spending, bond authorization, general obligation bonds, special obligation bonds, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act, road resurfacing, road repair, bridge repair, pavement, culverts, stormwater management, climate resilience, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian infrastructure, transit modernization, commuter rail

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you think about it, our realtors provide life-changing services when we think about purchasing
• <00:04:35.199><c> we</c><00:04:35.440><c> think</c><00:04:35.600><c> about</c><00:04:36.320><c> purchasing
• </c> services when we think about purchasing services when we think about purchasing our<00:04:37.280
• If you could help me welcome students, faculty, and staff from the Avalon School. >> Avalon School.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• consumers has created ambiguity that could be used to challenge co-op decisions on generation, power purchases
• Decisions on generation, power purchases, demand response, and efficiency programs.
• To by stakeholders that protects co-ops' authority to choose generation and power, purchase power based
• and telephone numbers and places of employment of their spouses and the names and addresses of the schools
• urban service area, must have existing public services available, water, wastewater, transportation, schools

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the bill would require the convening of agencies to develop a strategy to expand institutional purchasing
• for state agencies, correctional facilities, and public schools, with a report due in 2028.
• access to food in our availability, in our food banks and in our child care centers and in our public schools
• going to talk about things like how do we maximize efficiencies for local production and local purchasing
• Think about the children that are going to school every day.

Summary: The Consumer Protection & Business Committee held public hearings on two bills. House Bill 2616, described as an agriculturally resilient markets act, would create a broad package of agriculture-related policies and appropriations, including a strategy to expand state purchasing of Washington-grown food, temporary packaging and emissions exemptions for certain agricultural uses, changes to labor notice rules for agricultural and dairy layoffs, several grant and study programs, a transfer of cannabis production/processing/testing oversight to the Department of Agriculture, and an appropriation for the tree fruit leadership program. Representative Christine Reeves said the bill was intended as a state-level “farm bill” to address farm losses, food security, and regulatory burdens, and she emphasized stakeholder input and the need to support family farms and farmworker well-being. Testimony on HB 2616 was overwhelmingly supportive, with growers, commodity groups, dairy and potato representatives, and other agricultural stakeholders arguing that Washington farms face low margins, high regulatory and labor costs, refrigeration and processing challenges, and competition from foreign producers. Several speakers said the bill’s exemptions, grants, and studies would help keep farms viable and preserve local food production. Committee members asked about stakeholder outreach, the role of Washington State University and commodity commissions, the impact of federal versus state policy, and possible ways to reduce compliance burdens. The hearing ended without a vote, and the chair noted the bill was after cutoff and would not move this year, but that stakeholder meetings would continue over the summer. The committee then heard House Bill 2721, which would create a registration system for commercial interior designers, expand and rename the Board of Architects, set education, examination, and experience requirements, define the scope of practice, require seals and technical submission attestations, and establish penalties and a fee account. Supporters from interior design organizations said the bill would recognize a profession already performing code- and safety-related work in commercial spaces, align Washington with other states and national model law standards, and remove barriers to ownership and advancement, especially for women. Testifiers also said the bill would clarify responsibility for life safety, accessibility, and non-structural interior construction in schools, health care, and public buildings. The committee heard only supportive testimony, but members raised questions about how the profession compares with architecture, the impact of delaying the bill until 2027, and demographic diversity in the field. The chair closed the hearing noting the bill would not advance this session and that further interim work would be needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• judicial warrant, and that we want to preserve school attendance and school funding for our school districts
• We saw in our own school district, Power Unified School District, where we had a school that was in significant
• But schools are not necessarily a large purchaser of energy, right?
• Our schools and school district solvent.
• It moves kids from school A to school B and school C to school B more than it brings kids in, simply

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met for its annual Proposition 98 overview, with Chair Alvarez outlining the committee’s focus on K-12 funding, student outcomes, and use of one-time funds. Superintendent Tony Thurmond gave an update on education issues, including wildfire recovery support for affected school communities, ongoing concerns about federal threats to education funding and immigration enforcement, progress on literacy and math, dual-language immersion, educator housing, and support for dual enrollment. Members broadly expressed support for these priorities, while also raising concerns about implementation, funding stability, and the need for schools to remain safe places for students. The committee then reviewed the Governor’s Proposition 98 proposal. The Department of Finance said the 2025-26 Proposition 98 guarantee is projected at $118.9 billion, with higher revenues and TK-related rebenching driving the increase. The LAO said the budget adds about $7.5 billion over two years and discussed the volatility of the guarantee, especially in 2024-25, when changes in revenue could have an outsized effect on school funding. Members questioned the proposed $1.6 billion delayed settle-up payment, the legal basis for delaying it, and the impact of possible federal funding freezes. The LAO presented alternatives such as a reserve deposit or delayed disbursement, while Finance said the proposal is intended to manage uncertainty. Members also raised concerns that ethnic studies implementation was not funded in the January budget, and Finance said the administration was not proposing funding for it. The committee next heard on the Proposition 98 rainy day fund and education deferrals. Finance said the reserve would receive a mandatory deposit of about $1.2 billion in 2024-25 and a discretionary deposit of $376 million in 2025-26, leaving a balance of about $1.5 billion. The LAO supported rebuilding the reserve as a way to manage volatility. On deferrals, Finance described the Governor’s plan to eliminate remaining deferrals by 2025-26, and the LAO said paying them off improves cash flow and budget resilience. Members generally supported eliminating deferrals and rebuilding reserves, though some asked about acting earlier if revenues allow. The committee also reviewed the proposed $1.8 billion student support and professional development block grant; Finance said it would fund professional development, recruitment and retention, and dual enrollment, while the LAO recommended clearer language on local discretion and use for one-time costs. Members were divided, with some supporting flexibility and others warning that one-time block grants can create instability and confusion for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• or charter school.
• engaging in a strike or organized work stoppage against the school district or charter school.
• officer of a charter school to make modifications to a weapons detection system at a school district
• or charter school.
• like this in a private school already, because they don't have the rules that public schools do.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of bills and resolutions, with staff giving brief descriptions and members flagging which items were on consent, had unanimous committee votes, or should be pulled for further discussion. Topics included education, health care, public safety, labor, water, taxation, housing, and elections. Several measures were noted as party-line or mixed votes, while many others were reported as unanimous and placed on third-read or consent calendars. Among the more discussed items were bills on school and labor policy, including a proposal to prohibit teacher strikes, a measure restricting school district bond actions, a bill requiring school safety protocols and assigning felony penalties for noncompliance, and a resolution limiting public money for labor organization activities. Members also raised concerns or requested further review on bills involving pharmacist testing authority, expired opioid antagonists, a county sheriff-related measure, a housing affordability district proposal, and a tobacco/vape regulation bill. Some measures were explicitly pulled from consent, including a Medicaid audit resolution, a budget-related pay-withholding resolution, and several education and public safety bills. The caucus also heard multiple health and human services measures, such as genetic counselor licensing, nursing board and pharmacy board continuations, foster care rights, psychiatry access funding, and free school meals. In addition, there were water and energy bills on Colorado River management, groundwater, transmission-line review, and renewable energy valuation, plus election and campaign-related proposals. The meeting ended with announcements, including an upcoming Colorado River breakfast briefing and an internal award recognizing Representative Brian Garcia, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> crypto kiosks which allow the purchase crypto kiosks which allow the purchase of<03:16:02.640><c
• Our community colleges, our school.
• zones that abate our school roads.
• , school administration office, or school board.
• ><c> or</c> school, school administration office or school, school administration office or school<03

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill reduces regulations on school board operations aligning school district school, but I'm sorry
• A lot of times community organizations will have an after school program at this school.
• So Senator Bradley, you're recognized to present Cs for SB 296 Hill School School and High School start
• Many school districts we need to purchase dish, purchase additional buses, and then attempt to hire bus
• I represent Broward County School District which is in a rated school district.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 12:45.200><c> in</c> later purchased key properties in later purchased key properties in downtown<00:
• </c><00:31:50.240><c> So</c><00:31:50.559><c> schools</c> to at a school-based clinic.
• So schools to at a school-based clinic.
• of Carroll High School students.
• </c> High School students. I yield back. High School students. I yield back.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• which is a supervised agricultural experience project, was raising laying hens all throughout high school
• which is a supervised agricultural experience project, was raising laying hens all throughout high school
• My supervised agricultural experience throughout high school was raising market and breeding hogs and
• In high school, my favorite CDE was milk quality and products.
• manager for my school for four years, and I also showed lambs for my first year.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Private schools, charter schools, and reservation schools have to opt into the program.
• This bill, if passed, will start next school year, next fall.
• of maintaining their school structures.
• Schools operate on an annual budget.
• and schools in our state.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee opened with roll call and a review of special-session procedure: bills would be heard in filing order, with related school-lunch bills grouped together, and any bill advancing would require a motion, second, and majority vote to be introduced. Members also discussed that the committee was functioning much like a delayed-bills committee, with final referral to either Appropriations or Policy depending on the bill’s fiscal impact. The first major proposal was Senator Schibley’s bill to create a narrow, statewide Bank of North Dakota bridge-loan program for struggling nonprofit medical facilities, prompted by Jacobson Memorial Hospital’s financial crisis. He argued the hospital and surrounding EMS services could close without short-term help, while committee members questioned the added language, the population cap, the $10 million fund with $5 million per applicant limit, and whether the program could open the door to future requests. Representative Headland then presented two cleanup bills from the prior property-tax session: one to fix notice and tax-certification issues for local taxing districts, and another to correct how the primary residence credit is applied so taxpayers receive the full benefit rather than counties retaining part of the reimbursement. Members asked about township hearing timing, the estimated $10–15 million annual impact, and whether the credit issue could be fixed retroactively; Headland said the bill was intended to correct the problem going forward. Three school-lunch bills drew extensive discussion. Representative Vetter proposed a small administrative appropriation to add an FTE to help eligible families enroll in the existing free/reduced lunch program, saying the goal was to ensure needy children are signed up and that the state should not subsidize meals for wealthy families. Representative Nathe offered a broader bill mirroring the pending initiated measure but placing the program in statute instead of the Constitution, moving implementation up a year, and funding it with a one-time $65 million from the strategic investment fund; he said this would preserve legislative flexibility and avoid constitutional entrenchment. Representative Dressler proposed raising the state-funded eligibility threshold from 225% to 300% of poverty, arguing it would expand access while still preserving federal reimbursements and encouraging better enrollment systems. Members debated costs, future budget pressure, whether the bills set a precedent for responding to ballot measures, and whether the program should include breakfast and other operational details. Other proposals included Senator Powers’ bill to create a hyperbaric oxygen board and support rural access to hyperbaric chambers for wounds, concussions, PTSD, and other conditions; Representative Tolman’s reporting-requirements bill to force new or expanded programs to justify purpose, alternatives, evaluation methods, and full implementation costs; Representative Frelich’s bill addressing the ongoing redistricting litigation and what happens if the Supreme Court or lower courts alter the current map; and a bill requested by the Public Service Commission and ITD for FERC litigation support and ADA website/document compliance. The committee also heard a rural-health eligibility bill from Representative Twait aimed at steering federal rural health dollars toward rural providers, with questions focused on whether the mileage limits would exclude some communities. One Holocaust education item was deferred until the sponsor could be located.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:53.680><c> of</c> year 2026 encourage the purchase of year 2026 encourage the purchase of
• </c><00:09:09.519><c> a</c> state funds can be used to purchase a state funds can be used to purchase
• And again, state purchase such a drone.
• It's the purchase part.
• ,</c> if you're guiding them what to purchase, if you're guiding them what to purchase, they<00:43:49.440

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the legislature at the time felt like they should have more dollars sent to them for the Permanent School
• The Permanent School Fund is very unique in law in that the members are fiduciaries of the fund; they
• If we sign a purchase of a home, even if it's a primary residence, a refinance, or a sale, those can
• If they're purchasing a home to live in or refinancing that homestead, they don't have to go through
• So as a notary public loan signing agent, The notary niche not only takes you from signing and purchasing

Bills: HB1342, HB2889, HB3002, HB3254, HB4820, HJR40, HJR40

Keywords: private activity bonds, housing, residential rental projects, low-income, affordable housing, bond measures, funding equality, political subdivisions, public communications, election fairness, debt collection, consumer rights, disclosures, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, settlement agreements, State Board of Education, group benefits program, health insurance, state employees, dependents eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Our medical schools revenue, is that held in a different account, and none of that gets used for any
• , but not other schools.
• to purchase equipment... ...across our campuses to purchase equipment and supplies together, and by
• Understanding school budgets and university budgets, it’s my understanding that some of the non-core
• And we do a lot of training of K-12 teachers, especially high school teachers, for AP courses.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to ask about the $3 million for the state plane purchase.
• I'm circling back to the $50 million in school safety funds.
• school districts?
• I'm circling back to the $50 million in school safety funds.
• school districts?

Bills: SB1177

Keywords: education funding, mental health services, public safety, housing, state budget

Summary: The Joint Appropriations and Budget Committee took up Senate Bill 1177, the main budget bill, and first adopted the committee substitute as the working version. Chairman Caldwell presented the bill as the measure funding state government and answered a series of questions about major budget items, including CareerTech funding, child care, school security, teacher pay raises, the state plane purchase, Medicaid, mental health, veterans’ homes, and higher education projects. He said CareerTech received increased funding, child care funding was increased by roughly $12 million over last year, school security funding was continued at $50 million, and teacher pay raises were included through a mechanism that would raise the state minimum by $2,000. He also explained the $3 million state plane item as a restructuring of state aviation assets, and said the budget did not cut law enforcement funding tied to 287(g) agreements.

Transcript Highlights:

• The public school income fund, clarifying the original fund source for expenditures in the public schools
• You look at our schools; our schools are actually gun-free... ...says they have to spend any cost.
• You look at our schools; our schools are actually gun-free places, yet they don't have to have an extra
• This is the enhancement budget for the School for the Deaf and Blind.
• One of the enhancements includes a brand new school bus to replace an old, worn-out one.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Fruitland School District, for the 2024-25 school year, Fruitland School District will spend over
• In Fruitland School District, for the 2024-25 school year, Fruitland School District will spend over
• My kids go to school in Marsing.
• Meridian Tech Charter School was built in 1999 with the West Ada School District.
• They're talking about legislation, what's good for schools, what's not good for schools.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:35.120><c> Senate</c> purchasing these discount points.
• Senate purchasing these discount points.
• Senator Chambers Armstrong. the housing purchases not and everything the housing purchases not and everything
• </c><00:26:31.200><c> I</c><00:26:31.360><c> didn't</c> I'm still old school I guess.
• I didn't I'm still old school I guess.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:01 Discussion SB 157 00:23 Vote SB 157 05:22 Discussion SB 189 05:57 Vote SB 189 26:49, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I went to school here.
• My children went to school here, and my grandchildren are currently going to school here.
• You need to be able to go out to the schools when schools are open.
• You need to be able to go out to the schools when schools are open.
• You need to be able to go out to the schools when schools are open.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Transcript Highlights:

• Navni Prairie on behalf of the California School Employees Association in support. Thank you.
• And for schools, this is a drain on Proposition 98 funding.
• my colleague at the Association of California School Administrators, in respectful opposition.
• nobody to take him to the after-school program, and so I did.
• And then I realized I had, well, I realized I had high school rail.

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.