Transcript Highlights:

• Excuse me, this clarification is a technical adjustment aimed at improving the operational efficiency
• I'm sure there's a resource witness here.
• I'm here as a resource witness and would be happy to answer any questions.
• I don't know of any Class 3 that have those kinds of resources. Categories.
• Textiles are still available as a resource.

Bills: SB682 , SB1013 , SB1369 , SB1422 , SB2001 , SB2080 , SB2366 , SB2705 , SB2841

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, Captain Kevin Williams, Firefighter Austin Cheek, Smith County, transportation, pedestrian right-of-way, sidewalk users, bicycle safety, micromobility, electric scooter, motor-assisted scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, skateboard, roller skates, driveway crossing, alley crossing, traffic safety, yield law, Texas Transportation Code, vehicle-pedestrian collision

Transcript Highlights:

• make sure everyone understands that the assembly has rules to ensure we maintain order and run an efficient
• On AB 411 Papan motion is do pass to now Resources Committee. Soria? Aye. Soria, aye. Alanis? Aye.
• The Natural Resources Agency established a goal of transitioning 10% of cropland to organic by 2030.
• Congratulations on your leadership on this and this is do pass as a minute to Natural Resources Committee
• Soria, a motion again do pass as amended to Natural Resources Committee. Soria, aye. Alanis? Aye.

Committee: House Agriculture

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She noted it was a very busy commission, covering equipment efficiency, facility conditions, licensing
• , facility equipment efficiency, facility conditions,<00:25:25.400><c> licensing,</c><00:25:26.400><c
• Um, number two, again, just trying to be efficient. Um, revenue projections.
• Um, why do just trying to be efficient.
• The executive director of the Northeast Resources Recycling Association couldn't be here today, Reagan

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This just Taylor's the process to make it more efficient and to make sure that the important cases rise
• The bill's intention is to encourage utilities to invest in advance Florida's energy resources to be
• The must not come in our parks at the extent of putt at the expense of resource protection.
• Extensive research shows that mandatory minimums are neither effective efficient.
• To remove obviously statues and improve efficiencies of the department operations.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• use of education resources by providing students the opportunity to enroll in a neighboring school's
• </c><01:38:20.719><c> And</c> CPACER energy efficiency financing.
• And CPACER energy efficiency financing.
• resources resources to<02:19:29.519><c> exceed</c><02:19:30.479><c> I'm</c><02:19:30.719><c> sorry</
• to the energy efficiency and sustainable energy<02:20:36.640><c> board.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Friday, January 30th, 2026, House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
• provide a couple reminders, whether this is your first time in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Resources Committee or your 500th time.
• We're always happy to have you here in Agriculture and Natural Resources.
• So we appreciate you bringing a little flair to the Ag and Natural Resources Committee today.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2619, which would create a joint legislative task force to review and recommend ways to reduce regulatory burdens in agriculture, and on House Joint Memorial 4009, which asks Congress to ensure federal wildfire response agencies remain capable of protecting communities, natural resources, and firefighter safety. On HB 2619, the prime sponsor and supporters from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, cattle, wheat, potato, onion, and dairy interests said the bill responds to farm stress and suicide concerns by examining regulatory overload; WSDA supported the concept but noted a fiscal note, and members discussed whether the task force scope and cost could be reduced before policy cutoff. On HJM 4009, staff and the sponsor described the memorial as a request for stronger federal wildfire capacity and coordination, with testimony from tribes, counties, forest landowners, conservation groups, and public employees emphasizing wildfire risk, smoke impacts, and the importance of federal-state cooperation; the committee also repeatedly tied the memorial to support for state wildfire funding under 1168 and heard broad support for restoring that funding. The committee then took up House Bill 2221, which would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to designate at-risk ungulate populations and begin predator mitigation when certain population declines occur, while also requiring annual reporting and white-tailed deer surveys. The sponsor argued the bill addresses rapidly declining deer and elk herds, predator pressure, food security, and rural economies in northeast Washington. Supporters included some local residents, ranchers, sheriffs, county officials, and the Colville Tribes, who said predators, livestock conflicts, and reduced hunting opportunity are harming communities and that the state should act more aggressively. Opponents included WDFW staff, Washington Wildlife First, the Sierra Club, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and other conservation voices, who said the bill is not scientifically supported, would be costly, and wrongly blames predators rather than habitat, forage, weather, disease, and vehicle collisions; several said predator control would have limited value and could undermine wolf recovery. Some agricultural and sportsmen groups supported the bill in principle but asked for amendments, especially to remove or revise the in-state wolf translocation provision. No final votes or executive action were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:43.519><c> to</c> framework which includes resources to framework which includes resources
• </c><00:17:50.160><c> are</c> strongly believe that resources are strongly believe that resources are
• practices to manage the resources practices to manage the state's<00:24:29.840><c> resources</c><00:
• the state's resources and operate the department<00:24:31.520><c> as</c><00:24:31.840><c> efficiently
• </c> department as efficiently as possible. department as efficiently as possible.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, some of it's a function of resources.
• I mean, some of it's a function of resources.
• </c><00:49:45.839><c> necessary</c> time and effort and resources necessary time and effort and resources
• Other than the resources the customer?
• Uh so our the most efficient way we can.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a resource witness from Texas Historical Commission if you need them.
• I'm here as a resource witness, but a little bit on the economic impact numbers.
• And so I'm just for you as a resource witness or anybody who's listening.
• Also, the governor's office is a great resource in helping with these things.
• We do have a resource witness if you'd like.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• I would recommend a no vote." some resources. Can you get them here as some resources.
• </c><01:22:35.600><c> mostly</c> these natural resource issues. mostly these natural resource issues.
• </c> hospital or the life resource center. hospital or the life resource center.
• I need resources.
• </c> keep this moving in an efficient manner. keep this moving in an efficient manner.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The idea that we would spend vital resources on such corporate handouts when our state remains one of
• Happy to take questions, and certainly our resources as the committee works through the details of the
• We ask you to protect the resources.
• We ask you to protect the resources that make this work possible. Thank you. Thank you very much.
• It's unthinkable to add to those lost resources a loss of nearly half a billion dollars in state resources

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing on H. 4975, Governor Healey’s bill to manage the impact of the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OB3) on Massachusetts tax law and state revenues. Administration officials, led by Secretary of Administration and Finance Matt Gorowitz, said OB3 would otherwise reduce FY26 revenue by about $442 million and argued for a phased-in conformity approach that would preserve the current-year budget while still adopting selected federal business tax provisions over time. The proposal would phase in the research and experimental expenditure deduction first, delay other major corporate provisions for two years, extend the pass-through entity excise to income subject to the 4% surtax, add a one-year delay mechanism for future federal tax changes over $20 million, limit opportunity zone benefits to Massachusetts investments, and make smaller technical changes to DFML contributions and casino reporting thresholds. Committee members questioned the rationale for phasing in rather than fully decoupling, the effect on the budget if the bill did not pass, and the treatment of opportunity zones, the surtax, and future federal tax changes. Public testimony was split. MassBudget, Progressive Massachusetts, and several labor and public-sector groups urged the committee to permanently decouple from the federal corporate tax changes rather than delay them, arguing that the bill would still send state revenue to corporate tax breaks, often for investments outside Massachusetts, and that the state should protect funding for schools, health care, human services, and other public services. The Massachusetts Society of CPAs supported the administration’s timing and the research-and-development provisions, citing filing deadlines and the importance of certainty for businesses and startups. Business and tax experts also testified that rushed conformity can create revenue losses and that the governor’s review-and-delay framework was a prudent improvement, though some said decoupling should be the default if the Legislature does not act. Unite Here Local 26 testified against sections 3 and 4, which would raise the slot-machine jackpot reporting threshold from $1,200 to $2,000, arguing the current threshold helps with problem-gambling intervention, preserves slot attendant jobs, and generates revenue. Several union leaders, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, AFT Massachusetts, SEIU 509, the Massachusetts Building Trades, the AFL-CIO, and 1199 SEIU, urged permanent decoupling, warning that OB3’s federal tax cuts and related spending reductions would worsen budget pressures, harm public services, and shift costs onto workers, patients, and schools. No votes were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• today work every day to ensure that more Louisianans have access to safe, affordable, and energy-efficient
• Natural Resources. Morning hour 11.
• use of airboats within the Marr-Paw Swamp Wildlife Management Area, reported favorably by Natural Resources
• House Bill 985 is simply about protecting our most valuable resources, our children, from sexual predators
• Natural Resources reports: House Bill 95 with amendments, House Bill 621 with amendments, House Bill

Bills: HR218 , HR219 , HR220 , HR221 , HR222 , HCR91 , HCR92 , HCR93 , HR210 , HR211 , HR212 , HR213 , HR214 , HR215 , HR216 , SCR29 , SCR38 , SB100 , HR171 , HCR49 , HCR65 , SCR23 , HB276 , HB508 , HB512 , HB599 , HB632 , HB656 , HB998 , HB1052 , HB1084 , HB1171 , HB1193 , HB1194 , HB1204 , HB1209 , HB1250 , SB2 , SB19 , SB24 , SB50 , SB70 , SB96 , SB101 , SB103 , SB104 , SB114 , SB122 , SB159 , SB160 , SB173 , SB180 , SB182 , SB260 , SB412 , SB418 , SB424 , SB442 , SB460 , SB476 , HCR41 , HCR76 , HCR77 , HCR63 , HCR69 , HCR86 , SCR19 , SCR3 , SCR6 , SCR18 , HB64 , HB68 , HB92 , HB130 , HB167 , HB227 , HB243 , HB321 , HB335 , HB398 , HB492 , HB624 , HB689 , HB708 , HB804 , HB906 , HB926 , HB955 , HB968 , HB969 , HB978 , HB985 , HB1005 , HB1029 , HB1069 , HB1077 , HB1095 , HB1104 , HB1107 , HB1187 , HB1203 , HB1217 , HB1220 , HB730 , HB225 , HB175 , HB198 , HB437 , HB457 , HB488 , HB646 , HB763 , HB909 , HB971 , HB981 , HB1066 , HB1089 , HB1125 , HB1154 , HB1231 , HB1246 , HB1248 , HB1249 , SB47 , SB82 , SB106 , SB206 , SB210 , SB248 , SB305 , SB376 , SB397 , SB441 , HCR32 , HB59 , HB617 , HB897 , HB911 , HB1223 , HB798 , HB824 , HB989 , HB1140 , HB1166 , HB1244 , HB901 , HB79 , HR20 , HR74 , HB284 , HB306 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1113 , HB1180 , HB1234 , HB1240 , SB89

Keywords: EJ Fields, Shreveport, Louisiana, gospel music, commendation, resolution, honorary resolution, Billboard Gospel Airplay, Mediabase Gospel Airplay, Mercy Endureth, music award, ministry, artist recognition, cultural heritage, spiritual heritage, African American gospel, local hero, state commendation, St. Charles Parish, parish day

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say that the availability of these internships often depends on office resources.
• to go to law school, but because someone who works and I'm going to see. resources to go to law school
• The problem is there's not enough time to do it efficiently in a way that provides it as a resource to
• These facilities do not have the resources or the ability to petition for their residents.
• These facilities do not have the resources or the ability to petition for their residents.

Summary: The work session began with a discussion of expanding opportunities in the legal profession, especially in response to shortages of lawyers in rural Washington and in public service roles. Washington State Bar Executive Director Tara Nevitt described a slowly growing but aging attorney population, noted that younger attorneys have declined, and outlined efforts such as supervised practice pathways to bar admission, reduced admission-by-motion experience requirements, expanded law clerk capacity, rural job fairs and grants, and a pilot program allowing innovative legal service delivery models. Members asked about bar passage score changes, loan repayment assistance, and the former Limited License Legal Technician program; Nevitt said the bar is monitoring other states and remains in dialogue with the court about paraprofessional licensing. Law school representatives from UW, Seattle University, and Gonzaga emphasized public service pipelines, financial barriers, and rural legal deserts, citing LRAPs, scholarships, stipends, clinics, and hybrid or regional programs designed to recruit and retain students in Washington. Seattle U highlighted its FlexJD and hybrid hub partnerships in underserved areas, while Gonzaga and UW reported substantial shares of graduates entering public service, though most still cluster in urban regions. The committee also heard from the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the Office of Public Defense, both of which described severe recruitment and retention problems in rural counties, with vacancies, low applicant pools, and the need for higher salaries, housing help, internships, and loan support. The Office of Public Defense said its internship and fellowship program, created by SB 5780, has already placed interns in rural counties and produced some commitments to return after graduation. The Washington State Bar’s law clerk program was also presented as a pathway that helps people train locally and remain in their communities, including by supporting succession for aging solo practitioners. The committee then shifted to family law and guardianship issues. On Title 26 guardian ad litem practice, presenters from Northwest Justice Project and private family law practice said GALs can play an important role but that training, oversight, and consistency remain major concerns, especially in domestic violence cases. They described problems such as inadequate training, bias, inconsistent recommendations, high fees, and lack of accountability, and suggested stronger, standardized training, more use of mental health professionals for custody evaluations, and better oversight mechanisms. Members asked about county practices, including rotation systems for GAL appointments and whether King County’s family court assessors provide a useful model. The discussion then moved to minor guardianships under the Uniform Guardianship Act. A Superior Court judge said the 2021 changes increased the need for court visitors and appointed counsel, but courts are struggling to find qualified attorneys and visitors, especially in rural areas. A former commissioner said most of the bill under discussion was technical cleanup to align prior amendments, though it would add some fiscal burdens. Administrative Office of the Courts staff reported that the statewide reimbursement program for UGA implementation has repeatedly run out of money earlier each year, with minor guardianship costs making up most of the expense. The Office of Public Guardianship then described rapid growth in demand for adult guardianship and less restrictive alternatives, noting that referrals and caseloads have risen sharply, but that the office is constrained by a shortage of certified professional guardians and low compensation levels. Finally, the committee began an update on Blake implementation from the Office of Civil Legal Aid, which funds civil legal services related to the decision, before the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• Water is a crucial resource for both health and economic development in our counties, and we're in favor
• Gallup McKinley County Chamber of Commerce also sees SB 29 as far more efficient at fully funding. and
• This is not just for efficiency but for worker safety.
• And the basic thing here is we can protect this resource without sacrificing anything.
• So we have this special resource.

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• account or the voter account resources account or the voter account um<00:15:08.279><c> this</c><00:
• I'm director of property and environmental resources for Blue Earth County.
• </c> of property and environmental resources of property and environmental resources for<00:27:23.840
• </c> issues in a more timely and efficient issues in a more timely and efficient manner<00:29:00.600>
• </c><01:34:12.520><c> in</c> so that we can um be more efficient in so that we can um be more efficient

Committee: Senate Elections

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• make sure everyone understands that the Assembly has rules to ensure we maintain order and run an efficient
• That the Assembly has rules to ensure we maintain order and run an efficient and fair hearing.
• There are public resources.
• But thank you, Nicole, for obviously keeping us, making sure that this committee runs well and efficiently

Committee: House Agriculture

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the entire team, and that is required for a practice to run and for them to be effective and efficient
• But all of these graduates will be an invaluable resource to the practices who choose to add them to
• How can we know that this will increase the efficiency of the practice of veterinary medicine in Florida
• It creates efficiency without shortcuts and ensures local control is protected.

Transcript Highlights:

• department, in our conversations, is going to do is sit down with the industry and say, here's our resources
• And we're seeing longer turnaround times to get things processed, not because the department isn't efficient
• That was very efficient: three 11-0 votes.
• along, so... 122 a due pass recommendation so I think that's going to be it for today that was very efficient

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard three bills after announcing that House Bill 2118 would be held. House Bill 2091 would raise the maximum asset-based assessment DIFI can charge domestic insurers to fund financial surveillance staff, with future increases tied to inflation and capped. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the fees had not been updated in 25 years, that Arizona’s insurance regulatory workload has grown substantially, and that the change should help DIFI hire staff, reduce reliance on more expensive contracted work, and not increase premiums. The committee voted 11-0 to give HB 2091 a due pass recommendation. House Bill 2138 would clarify workers’ compensation coverage for professional firefighters injured while traveling to or from work, defining firefighter for that purpose. The sponsor and witnesses from Queen Creek and the fire community said the bill was intended as cleanup language to restore the original legislative intent after a claim was denied because of a statutory loophole, and that the change would protect firefighters and support recruitment and response readiness. The County Supervisors Association said it was neutral but requested counties be removed from the definition because counties do not employ firefighters; a floor amendment was expected to address that. The committee approved HB 2138 11-0. House Bill 2122 made clarifying changes to last year’s reciprocity/endorsement law for registration of BTR-related professions, including reciprocity with the United Kingdom. The sponsor described it as a cleanup bill to fix an omission and support workforce development and commerce, and the only witness offered no additional testimony. The committee passed HB 2122 on an 11-0 vote, and the meeting adjourned after all three bills received due pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commitment Account gets 75% and has a number of uses, from the working families tax credit to energy efficiency
• proposal provides a clearer and practical framework to reduce complexity in the allocation of CCA resources
• respecting the intentions of investment priorities to ensure that appropriations of CCA funds move efficiently
• House Bill 2254 is a smart technical fix, allowing the state to manage the carrier assessments efficiently

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held public hearings on three bills. House Bill 2251, sponsored by Rep. Fitzgibbon, would reorganize Climate Commitment Act revenue accounts by repealing several existing accounts and creating new operating and capital accounts, changing how auction proceeds are distributed when revenues are above or below a set threshold, broadening some tribal and overburdened-community spending language, adding electric vehicles and certain housing uses, capping Ecology administrative costs, and moving some reporting from annual to every two years. Supporters said the bill would simplify a confusing account structure and improve predictability, while opponents criticized the reduced reporting frequency and said it could weaken accountability. No vote was taken. House Bill 2254 would adjust the funding model for the Partnership Access Line and related behavioral health consultation programs by allowing the cost of the third-party administrator to be included in the carrier assessment rather than paid from general funds. Committee staff said this would produce general fund savings, and testimony from HCA, UW Medicine, Seattle Children’s, and others supported the bill as a technical fix that would stabilize the programs and potentially free up funds to restore service levels. No vote was taken. House Bill 2385 would extend deadlines and the expiration date for the Medicaid Access Program created last session, after federal HR1 restrictions prevented implementation of the original program and provider assessment. The bill would push out CMS submission deadlines, update the rate-setting reference year, and extend the act’s sunset date. The sponsor and the Washington State Medical Association supported the bill as necessary to preserve the option of pursuing the program later. The committee took no action and adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• make sure everyone understands that the Assembly has rules to ensure we maintain order and run an efficient
• AB 732 provides county agricultural commissioners with a more efficient tool: the ability to issue civil
• This bill would allow us to efficiently and effectively carry out our duties, ensuring that growers take
• AB 1042 seeks to support our under-resourced beekeeping industry through grants and research to help

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Agriculture met with an initial quorum delay, then heard four items: AJR 6 on protecting federal funding for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care program, AB 732 on abandoned agricultural land, AB 1042 on honeybee health, and consent item AB 1506. The chair reviewed hearing procedures and public comment rules before moving through the file in order. AJR 6, authored by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, urged federal officials to preserve funding for local food programs that connect California farmers with school meals and food banks. Supporters, including a farm owner and a school nutrition director, said the program benefits children’s nutrition, helps small farms, and strengthens local economies. There was no opposition, and the committee members who were present voted to adopt the resolution; later absent members were added, bringing it to eight votes and sending it out. AB 732, by Assemblymember Macedo, would give county agricultural commissioners a faster enforcement tool against abandoned or neglected orchards and vineyards by allowing civil penalties instead of relying only on liens. Testimony from growers and a county agricultural commissioner described pest infestations, economic losses, and high abatement costs tied to neglected land, and the bill was presented as a response to SGMA-related fallowing and low commodity prices. The committee voted due pass to the Judiciary Committee, and after absent members were added it also reached eight votes. AB 1042, by Assemblymember Ransom, proposed a Managed Honeybee Health Program with grants, research, technical assistance, and an expanded advisory committee to support pollinators essential to California crops. Witnesses from the fresh fruit and beekeeping sectors emphasized that bee declines threaten crop production and the broader agricultural economy. The committee voted due pass to Appropriations, and the bill ultimately received eight votes. The consent calendar item, AB 1506, was also approved and sent to Appropriations.