Transcript Highlights:

• The bill makes several major changes.
• Those are the sports wagering changes. Those are the sports wagering changes.
• That<01:01:30.800> changes That changes That changes the<01:01:32.400> economics<01:01:
• > the<01:01:39.280> sports changes the economics for the sports changes the economics for
• <01:28:32.719> in courses in driving change in courses in driving change in organizations.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House changes to the Victim Rights Act.
• They changed it, but in changing it, they didn't then bring in the city of Northglenn.
• <01:43:55.480> So, be able to change going forward. So, be able to change going forward.
• Uh we've got a good need for change.
• , Cheyenne County, requested changes, Cheyenne County, requested changes, asked<03:03:37.520>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could change a letter. We could change a paragraph.
• We could change a paragraph. If letter. We could change a paragraph.
• My property didn't change. Has the same value, made no changes to it.
• It It changes people's behavior. It It changes people's behavior.
• . change. change.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are... ...which recently had a name change, so, um, who serves older adults.
• Changes in this bill, while seemingly small, will improve vital areas of the DPPC's operations.
• But with regard to this journey to get to Nikki's Law, I would change a thousand things.
• But with regard to this journey to get to Nikki's law, I would change a thousand things.
• This needs to change. Our children need to be protected 24 hours a day, not just half the day.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing on a broad slate of disability-related bills. Topics included creating a permanent Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Board (H. 231/S. 134), establishing a system for compensating guardians who serve incapacitated, unbefriended individuals through MassHealth (H. 253/S. 154), expanding Nikki’s Law to require MassHealth day habilitation programs to use the abuse registry (S. 165 and related bills), modernizing and streamlining the Disabled Persons Protection Commission’s statute and procedures (H. 243/S. 139), updating the definition of developmental disability to align more closely with federal law and include people such as those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (H. 276/S. 150), removing outdated and offensive terminology from the General Laws (H. 232/S. 137), and an autism education reform bill (H. 286). Several bills had no sign-ups, and the committee also noted related measures on cueing and prompting in PCA programs (H. 277/S. 157).

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to explain a slight committee substitute change to HB 3016.
• I'm here to explain a slight committee sub-change to HB-316.
• That's the only change of this bill. Thank you, Senator. ...necessary change.
• While it looks like a lot of added changes, most of this is protective technical change to ensure that
• I'm very supportive of this, and I hope we'll change it to make it about nuclear.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up a long list of pending House bills, most of them on motions by Senator King or Senator Campbell. The committee adopted committee substitutes and favorably reported numerous bills, including HB 252, HB 700, HB 1500, HB 1545, HB 1562, HB 1732, HB 267, HB 2213, HB 2221, HB 2520, HB 2818, HB 3016, HB 3214, HB 3250, HB 3512, HB 3623, HB 3689, HB 3833, HB 4063, HB 4395, HB 4690, HB 4751, HB 5331, HB 3824, HB 4464, HB 4468, and HB 5247. Most of these were sent to the local and uncontested calendar, while some, including sunset and other significant measures, were reported to the full Senate. HB 146 was the only bill reported out on a divided vote, passing 6 ayes to 4 nays. Several bills received brief explanation of committee substitute changes. HB 3016, dealing with rental car collision damage waivers and stolen vehicles, was amended to change a cooperation standard from “fully cooperate” to simply “cooperate.” HB 3689, a major ESF/TWA financing bill, was described as making technical changes to align terminology with the Comptroller’s authority and to avoid creating state debt or new liability. HB 5247, a capital cost recovery bill for transmission in the Permian Basin, was revised to clarify how the new mechanism fits with existing Utilities Code provisions and to add a 2035 expiration date. HB 3824, the battery fire safety bill, also received technical changes to align terminology with industry usage. The committee heard public testimony on several pending measures. HB 3069, which would direct the PUC to develop supplemental multi-decade planning criteria for transmission certificates in ERCOT, drew support from industry, environmental, and manufacturing witnesses who said it would help address congestion costs while balancing consumer protections; the bill was left pending. HB 5196, requiring state agencies to adopt and post telework policies and use written telework agreements, received both support and concern: supporters said it would preserve productivity and retention, while a senator raised concerns about notice and family logistics; it was left pending after testimony. HB 3112, allowing closed deliberations on cybersecurity policy details, was laid out and left pending after brief discussion. HCR 102, supporting federal nuclear tax credits, drew testimony from nuclear industry and energy advocates, who argued the credits are essential for existing plants, new nuclear development, grid reliability, and U.S. competitiveness; the resolution was left pending, with discussion about whether the language should focus more exclusively on nuclear. HB 705, creating a cosmetology licensure compact, was supported by industry, employers, and compact experts as a mobility tool that preserves state authority; HB 3516, expanding a public information exemption for Railroad Commission administrative law judges and technical examiners, and HB 3388, authorizing group property and casualty coverage for personal lines, were also heard and left pending. At the end of the meeting, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, some of the focus has changed based on changes in administration and changes in federal policy
• /c><01:17:43.840> in changed based on uh changes in changed based on uh changes in administration
• administration changes in uh federal administration changes in uh federal policy<01:17:46.440>
• <01:35:26.960> for<01:35:27.320> the to change how uh eligibility for the to change
• What is the year-over-year change?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a Ways and Means briefing opened by the vice chair, who introduced Jason Wong of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston to discuss the national and regional economy. Wong focused on inflation, asking why it had fallen from about 9% in 2022 to the 2%–3% range, and what that meant for monetary policy and the risk of an economic downturn. He said the Fed’s target is 2%, noted that recent PCE inflation was about 2.4% and core PCE about 2.7%, and described the ongoing debate over whether interest rates should stay tight or be lowered further to protect the labor market. Wong explained that the improvement in inflation has been driven largely by goods prices, especially durable goods such as cars, appliances, and furniture, as well as non-durable goods like food. He said supply-chain disruptions during the pandemic caused major price spikes in 2022, but those pressures have eased and many goods prices are now at or below the Fed’s target. He also referenced the New York Fed’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index, saying it showed extreme pandemic-era disruptions that have since receded. The main remaining inflation problem, he said, is in services, especially housing. Wong broke services into rent of shelter and all other services, explaining that shelter is a large share of household budgets and that housing inflation has a lag because rent measures often reflect older lease terms rather than current market rents. He said monthly Zillow data suggest market rents have cooled and may eventually feed through to official inflation measures. Members asked several questions about the chart’s time scale, the treatment of real estate, property taxes, and utilities, and Wong clarified that housing costs are counted in services and that the slides would be shared digitally. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any members wishing to vote or change your vote?
• Any members wishing to vote or change your vote? Close the queue.
• Any members wishing to vote or change their vote? Close the queue.
• Any members wishing to vote or change their vote? Close the queue.
• Any members wishing to vote or change your vote? Close the queue.

Bills: SB206, SB904, SB933, SB1436, SB1500, SB1553, SB1557, SB1567, SB1644, SB1645, SB1651, SB1794, SB1833, SB1849, SB1984

Keywords: SB206, emergency medical services, EMS, ambulance, 911 response, emergency response, essential services, federal funding, grant funding, public health, health care facility, municipality, county, ambulance service district, tribal entity, public entity, contract ambulance service, Oklahoma, 63 O.S. 2021 Section 1-2502, emergency clause

Transcript Highlights:

• Should I change anything? I feel like I've been pretty up here, but I can change something.
• We hear that's a problem with a lot with a lack of intent of real policy change or systemic change.
• We hear that's a problem with a lot with a lack of intent of real policy change or systemic change.
• We hear that's a problem with a lot with a lack of intent of real policy change or systemic change.
• or systemic change.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Seclusion Working Group approved the minutes from its November 5, 2025 meeting and then heard presentations from Jessica Heiser and Aaron Sansmark of Solutions Not Suspensions and the Minnesota Disability Law Center on the misuse and illegal use of seclusion in schools. They described illegal seclusion as including use outside emergencies, for discipline or noncompliance, beyond the emergency period, in unregistered rooms, without parent notice, without required observation or documentation, for students outside the grade-limit rules, when meals/restroom/water are withheld, or when staff are not properly trained. They emphasized that Minnesota lacks a single reliable data source for identifying illegal seclusion and that families often learn about incidents late, if at all, making complaints and legal action difficult because of barriers such as time, cost, language, and access to advocates. The presenters summarized Minnesota Disability Law Center records, saying they receive about one seclusion-related case per month during the school year, statewide, and that in the cases reviewed over the last year the children were all boys with disabilities, including autism, ADHD, developmental delay, or emotional disabilities; three were white and two were children of color, and four of the five were age 10 or younger. They said all of those families pulled their children from school afterward, and that five of five cases potentially had valid illegal-seclusion claims, though only three pursued legal action. They also noted PACER reports many discipline and behavior calls involving seclusion but does not keep hard records. The presenters proposed better statewide data collection, including identifying school buildings, staff, or students involved, reporting incident duration, and adding a checkbox on MDE complaints to flag restraint/seclusion allegations. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on disproportionality. The presenters cited national research showing students with disabilities and students of color, especially Black boys, are disproportionately restrained or secluded, while acknowledging Minnesota does not have a single statewide racial aggregate for seclusion. Members discussed whether banning seclusion would reduce misuse and disproportionality, whether it could increase physical holds or injuries, and whether the issue should be viewed in the broader context of emergency interventions. Heiser argued Minnesota is moving in the same direction as federal actions and other states that have restricted or banned seclusion, and noted that the current birth-through-third-grade ban has reportedly reduced seclusion by 40%. Other members agreed disproportionality is a serious systemwide problem, but emphasized the need to keep the conversation focused on seclusion and emergency use. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we can change that.
• And we can change that.
• And we can change that.
• And we can change that.
• And we can change that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:00.960> the current law has not changed the current law has not changed the department
• That’s the change there.
• Thank you. changes to the harbor infrastructure and changes to the harbor infrastructure and management
• <01:35:13.360> the would be on line seven changing the would be on line seven changing the
• <01:58:07.199> having going to touch it without change having going to touch it without change

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section one of the bill proposes changes Section one of the bill proposes changes to<01:42:37.280
• Section two of the bill proposes change Section two of the bill proposes change to<01:44:01.520>
• change 10 V.S.A. 4255, license fees. change 10 V.S.A. 4255, license fees.
• > allow<01:44:46.600> the The proposed change would allow the The proposed change would
• change in the number of applications. change in the number of applications.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional reflection on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, emphasizing renewal, spring, and the challenges facing Iranian families amid conflict. The speaker connected the holiday’s themes of hope and responsibility to Vermont and democracy, then the chamber moved to routine business, including first readings and referrals of five House bills: H.945 on hemp products, H.946 on utility advertising and costs in rental agreements, H.947 on a residential universal design building code, H.948 on membership of the Retired Employees Committee on Insurance, and H.949 on homestead and non-homestead property tax yields and technical education finance changes. Three Senate bills were also read and referred: S.189 on hospital service reductions, S.203 on penalties for repeat DUI offenses, and S.313 on transforming Vermont’s career technical education system. The House also recognized several guests and announcements, including family members of members, airport employees, a UVM student intern, and visitors from Brazil. A House concurrent resolution, HCR 168, was read and congratulated Girl Scout Troop 60336 of Milton on earning the Bronze Award for a community garden project that improved accessibility through rain barrels and raised beds. The resolution highlighted the troop’s leadership and the role of its co-leaders, and the chamber applauded the guests in attendance. The main floor action centered on House Bill 642, relating to youthful offender proceedings, where Representative Booton of Barre City offered an amendment to stop the scheduled expansion of Raise the Age to 20-year-olds. Supporters argued the change would preserve current treatment of 18-year-olds while preventing an automatic expansion they said could strain the system and raise public safety concerns; opponents, including the Judiciary Committee, urged waiting for required Department for Children and Families reports due in 2026 before making changes. After debate, a roll call vote was taken on the amendment, with members calling the roll as the vote proceeded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not attempt to change that law or to change eligibility under the circumstances of the
• And there's nothing you can do to change it. I love you. There's nothing you can do to change it.
• There's nothing you can do to change it.
• We negotiated changes in committee in good faith.
• Many said there should be no change in the law at all.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized several introductions and memorials, including a resolution designating August 9, 2026, as Bob Graham Day and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar, with several bills substituted with House companions and adopted by voice vote or recorded vote. Early measures included a tax conformity bill tied to federal Internal Revenue Code changes, which passed 34-0, and a Medicaid/public assistance bill that drew extensive debate over work requirements, fraud reduction, behavioral health services, and SNAP/EBT reforms. Amendments offered by Senators Berman and Osgood to condition or soften the work and photo-ID provisions were rejected, and the underlying bill was placed on the third-reading calendar after lengthy questioning about implementation, exemptions, and eligibility effects. The Senate also passed bills on computer science education and AI instruction, a Parkinson’s disease registry public-records exemption and registry update, designation of the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the legal-tender sunset for gold and silver, public-records protections for gold/silver custodians and stablecoin-related entities, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, and local government budget transparency/spending measures. Most of these measures were adopted after minor amendments or technical substitutions, with votes generally ranging from 31-3 to 34-0. The chamber also recognized the Florida Channel’s 30 years of legislative coverage. Later, the Senate approved a digital voyeurism bill expanding the reasonable-expectation-of-privacy definition to include private fenced yards, and an insurance customer representative licensing bill allowing high school students to complete insurance/personal finance coursework and later qualify for licensure. The final major item was a medical freedom bill that would expand parental vaccine information requirements, add a conscience-based exemption to immunization mandates, allow behind-the-counter ivermectin for adults, and repeal the sunset on the mRNA mandate prohibition; two amendments clarifying anti-kickback rules and requiring vaccine information to include risks, benefits, safety, and efficacy were adopted, while questions from Senators Smith and Massullo focused on public-health impacts and the content of the required materials. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• change across the state.
• Change the law and they will still be disgustingly rich.
• Habits don't change through willpower alone.
• It happens because systems resist change.
• Change isn't easy, but we can do hard things.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on 41 bills related to school climate and safety, with chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlining procedures and noting more than 125 witnesses. The first major topic was the “Study Act” on cell phones in schools and related social media restrictions (House 666/Senate 335). Secretary of Education Pat Tutwiler and Attorney General Andrea Campbell testified in strong support, arguing that bell-to-bell phone-free policies would improve student focus, reduce anxiety and distraction, and support mental health. Several legislators also supported the approach, though Representative Jeff Turco and Senator John Keenan emphasized narrower bills focused only on school-day phone restrictions rather than broader social media regulation. Senator John Velis likewise backed a comprehensive school-hours restriction, citing student distraction and mental health concerns. Representative Tarsky described successful implementation of a Yondr pouch system in a school where he served as principal, saying it improved engagement and reduced bullying and discipline issues. The committee then heard testimony on a bill to prohibit Native American mascots in public schools (Senate 312/House 575). Senator Joe Comerford, Brittany Wally, and Rhonda Anderson all urged passage, saying Native mascots are dehumanizing, harmful to Native youth, and inconsistent with civil rights and educational values. They described support from tribal nations and noted that many Massachusetts schools have already changed mascots, but some still resist. The hearing also included testimony on school start times (House 647/Senate 360), where middle school students Caroline Duffy and Emery Jarvis described exhaustion and survey data showing widespread sleep deprivation. Former educator Telia Jacobs, former principal Rep. Tarsky, and others argued that later start times would improve health, learning, and student well-being, while acknowledging transportation and scheduling challenges. Zoriana Petrosian, who helped write one of the bills as a student, said the state already has enough research to act now. Additional bills drew testimony on related school issues. Dr. Raul Fernandez supported a bill promoting racially integrated schools (Senate 324), citing a recent advisory council report showing large disparities in segregated schools and urging DESE to develop a statewide integration strategy. On safe firearm storage education (House 548/Senate 397), multiple witnesses from Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention and school communities supported annual school-based education about secure storage, saying it would help prevent child access to unsecured firearms and build on local resolutions already adopted in some districts. The committee also heard testimony on bills to expand career and academic plans (House 533/Senate 438), with speakers saying more structured planning would help students make informed college and career choices. Later, testimony on child sexual abuse prevention and survivor support bills described the prevalence of abuse, the need for training in schools and youth-serving organizations, and the importance of extending compensation and prevention measures. Throughout the hearing, chairs repeatedly closed bills with no witnesses and moved the agenda forward, but no votes were taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• uncertain but it doesn't really change uncertain but it doesn't really change the<00:21:29.120><
• There were two recent changes, both the C and the K made those changes.
• to<00:24:09.039> report the K made those changes happy to report the K made those changes
• And then the the other change service.
• <00:54:52.720> those so House Bill 696 695 changes those so House Bill 696 695 changes those

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:01 Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:26 Approval of Minutes: 00:02:27 Investment, Cash Flow, and Legislative Update: Bo Cracraft – Judicial Form Retirement System: 00:03:12 Ryan Barrow – Kentucky Public Pensions Authority: 00:21:52 Beau Barnes – Teachers’ Retirement System: 00:34:31 Adjournment: 01:07:25, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, followed by a roll call confirming a quorum and approval of the prior minutes. A special guest, Dave Eager, was welcomed before the committee moved to presentations from retirement system officials. Bo Craycraft, executive director of the Judicial Form Retirement System, gave a quarterly update on investment performance, asset allocation, and cash flow. He said the plans had held up well amid market volatility, with fiscal year-to-date returns above benchmark and long-term returns remaining strong. He explained that the plans are targeted to a 70% equity/30% fixed-income allocation, that some cash is being held for cash-flow management, and that negative cash flow is expected because of funding and contribution levels. He also said Senate Bill 183, dealing with proxy voting and economic analysis for certain votes, was not expected to materially affect the plans because of their small number of holdings and Bear Trust’s long-term investment approach. Ryan Barrow and Erin Surrod then presented for the Kentucky Pension Authority. They reported positive quarterly performance across the retirement and insurance funds, though results varied by period and remained tied to broader market conditions. They said recent asset-allocation changes had been completed and the funds were now within target ranges. On cash flow, they noted some plans remained negative or near zero, with one plan benefiting from a large appropriation. In the legislative update, they described House Bill 30 as codifying an exclusion from pension-spiking calculations for across-the-board raises, and Senate Bill 10 as increasing retiree health insurance subsidies and changing employee health insurance contribution rules for certain CERS members beginning in 2026. They also said Senate Bill 183 would likely have limited impact, though the agency would review voting policies and incorporate any required economic-analysis procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over a third change schools within a year, often because of placement changes, each one setting them
• That single change has had a major impact.
• The data supports these changes.
• The data supports these changes.
• S. 141 doesn't just change policy; it changes lives.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on a series of child welfare bills focused on DCF, foster care, mandated reporting, educational records, and family support. Chair Kennedy and Chair Livingstone opened with accessibility and testimony rules, then heard testimony on bills including S.127 on expanding mandated reporters, S.107/H.235 on a Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, S.106/H.228 on transferring foster care review from DCF to the Office of the Child Advocate, H.258/S.125 on an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records, H.205 on kinship foster care background checks, H.246/H.266 on minimizing trauma in care and protection cases, and S.159 on support for families after sudden unexpected infant death. Supporters of the mandated reporter bill, led by Sen. Feeney and Foxborough advocates, described a local model that trains all adults who work with children and argued the state should scale that approach statewide to improve recognition and reporting of abuse. Testimony on the foster care bills emphasized the need for clearer rights, better notice to children and attorneys, stronger remedies, and independent oversight. Advocates, youth with lived experience, and legal organizations described placement instability, delayed notifications, abuse in care, poor educational continuity, and the need for rights around safety, family contact, culture, language, and access to records. Several witnesses urged that the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights include enforceable court remedies, not just reporting requirements. On the oversight bill, supporters argued DCF should not review its own foster care system and pointed to poor outcomes, high placement instability, and recent investigative reporting as evidence for moving review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. On the electronic backpack bill, testimony focused on the need for real-time data sharing and a centralized system so schools can receive foster students’ records quickly and support continuity. On the trauma-minimization bill, Rep. Miskin framed the proposal as a set of practical changes to reduce harm during removals and court involvement. On the SUID bill, Sen. Lovely said families should be given information about available grief and support resources after an infant death. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:36.880> or Does any member wish to change or Does any member wish to change or explain
• <00:29:23.679> or Does any member wish to change or Does any member wish to change or explain
• > the<00:32:08.640> optional change is the optim the optional change is the optim the optional
• Sweat will get you change.
• Sweat will get you change. change. change.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 04:26 Report of Committees 05:13 Orders of the Day/ HB 6 06:22 HB 480 14:13 HB 562 17:55 HB 136 25:53 HB 257 29:47 HB 490 35:54 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 40:30 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 52:44 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 53:49 ConC/Rules Report 57:12 Floor Amendments 58:49 Adjournment 58:59, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 96 members present, excused absent members, and approved the journal from February 13, 2026. The Senate also transmitted Senate Bills 72 and 110 for concurrence. Committee reports advanced several bills, including measures on deputy coroner training, local jail booking procedures, local business tax collection, peace officers, Kentucky National Guard benefits, and first responder mental health. The chamber then considered House Bill 6 on child care. The sponsor described it as the product of extensive stakeholder collaboration aimed at improving affordability, quality, access, and data in child care, including changes to the low-income subsidy program, employee child care assistance, Kentucky All-Stars, micro-centers, and a military child care pilot program in House Committee Substitute 1. The substitute was adopted, and the bill passed 84-11 with one abstention after supportive remarks from members emphasizing workforce needs, family support, and military families. House Bill 480, relating to state contracts, was explained as requiring clearer contract terms for appropriated funds, partial payment protections, a 1% penalty for late payment, and semiannual reporting on whether cabinets are paying bills on time. A member noted a planned amendment to limit the bill to state-funded appropriations, but the bill passed 96-0. House Bill 562, relating to alternative high school diplomas, would create a Kentucky alternative diploma for certain students with disabilities and require the Education and Labor Cabinet to maintain employer information for graduates; members spoke in strong support of the bill’s workforce and dignity goals, and it passed 96-0. House Bill 136, relating to campaign finance, was amended to remove a $15,000 cap and allow campaign funds to pay for reasonable security costs for candidates; the sponsor cited rising threats to elected officials, and the bill passed 97-0. The transcript ends as the House moved on to House Bill 257.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes statutory changes to clarify the use of...
• It includes statutory changes to clarify the use of...
• It doesn't include any other programmatic changes.
• changes, and we're watching those.
• Did we do our share to try to address climate change?

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on the final three-party budget agreement and related trailer bills, with the Department of Finance outlining the major budget bill and omnibus measures. Finance described a package built around balancing the state budget amid economic uncertainty, preserving core health and safety-net programs, and making significant ongoing reductions in some state programs. The budget bill included major items such as shifting $1 billion from the General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Cal Fire, funding universal transitional kindergarten, deferring some UC and CSU funding, supporting foster care and homelessness programs, providing Proposition 36 implementation funding, and achieving Medi-Cal savings through changes to benefits and eligibility. The committee also heard that votes on the budget bills were expected later in the week and the following Monday. Finance then walked through the trailer bills, including health, human services, early learning, education, resources, energy, transportation, labor, housing, tax, public safety, courts, general government, cannabis, and energy-related measures. Notable provisions included a Medi-Cal enrollment freeze for certain adults, new premiums and benefit changes for some immigrants, child care COLA changes, education funding for literacy, teacher support, universal meals, and community college student support, as well as resource and climate measures affecting Cal Fire staffing and energy permitting. The housing trailer bill drew the most discussion, with provisions on CEQA streamlining, a vehicle miles traveled mitigation banking program, a renters’ credit trigger, and a six-year moratorium on new residential building standards. Members also discussed a film tax credit expansion, cannabis enforcement funding, a tribal police pilot program, and changes to tax policy, including military retirement income exclusions and wildfire settlement payment exclusions. Committee members largely praised the staff and the budget process, but several raised concerns and asked detailed questions, especially about the housing trailer bill’s new wage standards, tribal consultation provisions, and possible effects on prevailing wage protections. Finance explained that the housing language was intended to set wage floors for market-rate projects receiving CEQA streamlining, with different county-based tiers and a notwithstanding clause preserving existing prevailing wage laws. Members also questioned the size and timing of funding for the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Clean Cars for All, Proposition 36, and the film tax credit expansion. Other members highlighted support for public safety, veterans’ tax relief, child care providers, housing production, and higher education, while some expressed concern that the budget’s policy changes were being negotiated too quickly or without enough stakeholder input.

Transcript Highlights:

• The low bidder was 18.1 and some change.
• And this may or may not be changed by HB 1491, because HB 1491 essentially changes the requirement to
• It changes, obviously.
• It changes, obviously.
• , you have staffing changes, technologies change, new legislation.

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there any additions or changes to the journal?
• , a penalty change.
• This changes that.
• Really quickly, did you change the title? The title? We changed the title.
• Didn't change the title? We didn't change the title. Okay. Yeah, we did not change the title.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's the change that we are making in 202C. There are some technical changes as well.
• Again, this has been on the books since 1976 without any significant changes, and this is some changes
• and this is some significant changes and this is some changes<00:13:13.400> to<00:13:13.480><
• and changes um in the court process.
• and changes um in the court process.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:49 Calendar/2nd Readings 06:27 Report of Committees 08:12 Orders of the Day/HB 485 09:40 HB 43 23:13 HB 139 25:09 HB 414 31:49 HB 297 36:16 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 41:08 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 51:25 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 53:41 ConC/Rules Report 56:40 Floor Amendments 57:54 Adjournment 58:17, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with an invocation, quorum call, and routine motions to excuse absent members, suspend rules for co-sponsorship and vote modifications, and approve the journal. The Senate clerk then announced Senate Bills 47, 85, and 159 had passed the Senate and requested House concurrence. The chamber also received second-reading reports on a number of bills, including measures on on-farm animal health, type 1 diabetes, employment, addictive online platforms, real property appraisers, educators, crimes and punishments, artificial intelligence, stalking, insurance, school food/funds, protective orders, public adjusters, and insurance regulation. Several committees reported bills favorably, including HB 534 on elections, HB 510 on organ donation safety, HB 220 on pension spiking, HB 467 on real property, HB 516 on retirement benefits for probationary employment, HB 589 on retired emergency personnel, and HB 168 on boating under the influence, which was sent to the Rules Committee after its second reading. The House then passed HB 485, a major mental health/civil commitment bill, after adopting House Committee Substitute 1 and two floor amendments. Supporters said the bill modernizes Kentucky’s 202A and 202C mental health commitment processes by adding intermediate treatment options, guardrails for outpatient/community-based care, clearer definitions, longer review intervals in some cases, and data/reporting requirements; they emphasized collaboration with mental health advocates, courts, and stakeholders. The bill passed unanimously, 95-0. HB 43, allowing a 180-day grace period for deputy coroners to complete required training, also passed unanimously, 96-0. HB 139, an elections “continuous improvement” bill, passed 92-1 after adoption of a committee substitute and a floor amendment that bars disclosure/reporting of votes cast for candidates who withdraw, die, or are disqualified and requires notices at precincts; the sponsor described the bill as the product of ongoing consultation with election officials and clerks. HB 414, on booking procedures in local jails, passed 73-18 after supporters explained it would allow DNA collection upon felony arrest, with destruction provisions if the person is not convicted or the charge is reduced or dismissed. HB 297, concerning Kentucky State Fair Board peace officers, passed unanimously, 96-0, to explicitly make those officers eligible for law enforcement fund benefits and related certification/training provisions. After the bills were completed, the House moved into motions, petitions, communications, and announcements. House Resolution 69 was brought from committee to the floor, and members were invited to a Kentucky State Police breakfast and a Louisville night event at the Foundry. The chamber also adopted Citation 32 honoring Dr. Hannah Huffman, who was recognized for her optometry career and leadership in the Kentucky Optometric Association, and Citation 31 honoring Valerie Greenhill, the new president of the Southern Regional Education Board. The House then adjourned.