Transcript Highlights:

• In the fiscal note, the State Patrol reports an indeterminate impact.
• I believe it is fairly neutral, as the report at the beginning said. Thank you. Go ahead.
• So first, I'd say if you go get the report, look at page 41 of the report.
• I'm now in the bill report, and I save the committee time. Thank you.
• I'll report and I saved the committee time. Thank you.

Bills: HB1607 , HB2159 , HB2441 , HB2521 , HB2531 , HB2543

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: recycling, waste reduction, environmental policy, sustainability, municipal regulations, preK, education funding, childcare, youth development, state budget, HB 2441, line of duty death, survivor benefits, medical insurance premium reimbursement, surviving spouse, domestic partner, dependent children, public employee death benefits, retirement system, Washington State

Transcript Highlights:

• News & World Report ranks A&M-Kingsville among the top 10 universities in the state. mobility and among
• The biennial request for a West Texas Water Resilience Center is $4 million and it's dedicated to the
• the 26-27 Texas A&M University infrastructure rate and the agency's predicted square footage, as reported
• Recommendations increase funding to 8.8 million dollars to biennialize the statewide salary adjustments
• The turning point came with reports that on some dairies, barn cats had all died.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article III

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 16 is the Midwest Higher Education Compact, which remains at the $230,000 biennial base.
• Line 128 is for the sexual assault reporting policies, totaling $80,000.
• This allows OHE to consolidate mandated legislative reports for various programs into a single report
• You know, these are our data reporting requirements that do sometimes change.
• But I will say there is currently a report available on our website.

Bills: HF2312

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• What this does is require the commissioner of the Department of Transportation to calculate and report
• </c> transportation to calculate and report transportation to calculate and report the<00:10:54.480><
• ><c> across</c><00:19:26.160><c> the</c> general aviation reports across the general aviation reports
• It's a very illustrative report because it tells us we are never going to achieve that outcome.
• </c><01:02:53.280><c> uh</c> ended up uh with this gap report uh ended up uh with this gap report uh

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Compliance with enhanced reporting, and provide webinar-based training.
• Again, we will track compliance with enhanced reporting.
• ... ...so we can report accurately to the state as well as to our federal partners.
• It also will improve the complaint tracking and public reporting tracking and public reporting requirements
• that we need to do for both our federal and state reporting requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Timely reporting of our actuarial reports and ensuring the measurements are accurate, they're compliant
• So our website and reports that we produce meet those federal requirements.
• You had a biennial study last biennium that... ...biennial study last biennium that resulted in a recommendation

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The chief clerk will report the House files and give them their first reading.
• The chief<00:07:43.680><c> clerk</c><00:07:44.000><c> will</c><00:07:44.240><c> report</c><00:07:44.560
• ><c> the</c><00:07:44.720><c> house</c><00:07:44.960><c> files</c> chief clerk will report the house
• files chief clerk will report the house files and<00:07:45.440><c> give</c><00:07:45.599><c> them</c>
• Senate File Number 3045, an act relating to state government operations, establishing a biennial budget

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Department of Insurance, in December of 2024, released their appraisal experience data report
• The Texas Department of Insurance 2022 biennial report considered suggestions to establish policy form
• The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel report for the 88th Texas Legislature Regulation 1 preserved

Bills: HB345 , HB721 , HB2580 , SB815 , HB3057 , HB4603 , HB3233 , SB495 , HB3863 , HB3914 , HB4570 , HB5099 , HB5173 , SB458

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee has assembled, so we will go to Amy Skae for a staff report. Good morning, conferees.
• There are a few documents in the conference report. One is the bill itself agreed to.
• Representative Fye, I moved that we approve the conference report.
• It's been moved and seconded that we adopt the conference report. Are there any remarks?
• The clerk will report the tally. Mr. Chair, there are five to recommend, one to do not recommend.

Summary: The conference committee met to act on the conference agreement for gross substitute Senate Bill 6005, the state’s two-year transportation budget. Staff summarized the agreement as a $16.6 billion appropriations package for the biennium, compared with $17 billion in the Senate version and $16.5 billion in the House version. The budget includes about $800 million in reappropriated capital funds to continue existing projects, plus new funding for preservation, maintenance, and ferries, and it is tied to a six-year plan with project lists referenced in the bill. Members from both chambers praised staff and described the agreement as a compromise focused on maintenance, preservation, ferries, and traffic safety. Several speakers emphasized that the budget addresses immediate needs while acknowledging broader long-term challenges, including the need for sustainable transportation revenue and future planning for ferries, culverts, and capital projects. Some members noted concerns about the financing approach and the use of bonds, but still supported the overall agreement. On the motion to approve the conference report, the committee voted 5-1 to recommend the conference budget. Representative Barkis voted do not recommend, while Representatives Donaghy and Fey, and Senators King, Krishnadasan, and Leavitt voted to recommend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee has assembled, so we will go to Amy Skae for a staff report. Good morning, conferees.
• There are a few documents in the conference report. One is the bill itself agreed to.
• Representative Fine, I move that we approve the conference report.
• It's been moved and seconded that we adopt the conference report. Are there any remarks?
• The clerk will report the tally. Mr. Chair, there are five to recommend, one to do not recommend.

Summary: The conference committee met to act on the conference report for gross substitute Senate Bill 6005, the state’s two-year supplemental transportation budget. Staff summarized the agreement as a $16.6 billion budget for the biennium, compared with $17 billion in the Senate version and $16.5 billion in the House version. The package includes about $800 million in reappropriated capital funds to continue existing projects, along with new funding for preservation, maintenance, and ferries, and it is tied to a six-year transportation plan and two project lists referenced in the bill. Members from both chambers spoke in support of the compromise while noting ongoing concerns about long-term transportation funding. Several emphasized that maintenance, preservation, ferries, and safety were the central priorities, and that the budget would help keep workers employed and projects moving. Chair Fye and Ranking Member Barkas both said more work is needed in the interim and next session to develop a sustainable long-term revenue and capital strategy, while Senator King, Representative Donaghy, and Senator Krishnadasan highlighted the preservation, maintenance, ferries, and jobs impacts of the agreement. After debate, Representative Fine moved to approve the conference report. The committee then took a roll call vote and recommended the conference budget by a tally of five to one, with Representative Barkas voting do not recommend and the other members voting to recommend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of standing committees and divisions.
• If there is no objection, the report will be adopted.
• Hearing no objections, the reports are adopted. Second reading of House Files.
• The chief clerk will report the House files and give them their first reading.
• Announcements. chief clerk will report the House files chief clerk will report the House files and<00

Transcript Highlights:

• on page three of the bill report.
• So under this bill, EITEs have to submit biennial reports, starting, So under this bill, EITEs have to
• submit biennial reports, starting, I think, in 2028.
• As part of you guys were talking about the reporting piece, are we actually reporting that spillage?
• We recently released a report that has a very cheeky name.

Bills: SB6172 , SB6246 , SB5932

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: Washington climate policy, greenhouse gas, GHG emissions, cap-and-invest, carbon market, emissions trading, allowances, covered entity, coal-fired power plant, coal plant, electric utility, electric generating facility, fossil fuels, natural gas, imported electricity, emissions leakage, air pollution, renewable energy transition, industrial emissions, railroad emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires the report to include specific data for each district, school, or state tribal education
• There might be some additional small changes for the annual report, but the prioritization shouldn't
• The cost for Running Start in the biennial budget is $14 million.
• We reported out with a do pass recommendation. Thank you.
• I move Substitute Senate Bill 6355 be reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• As a recap, in the current fiscal year budget, biennial budget, Morehead State University has received
• Uh, moving on, our number one capital construction request, if funds are available in the next biennial
• The next slide, if you're going through our budget appropriation or budget unit in the biennial budget

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• The work was ultimately defunded in the last session in the 2025-27 biennial operating budget.
• We receive data on students who are reported as unaccompanied homeless youth.
• J-LARC must report to the legislature by December 2027, and the report must include specified information
• Colleges already must follow strict rules for reporting any suspected fraud.
• Federal aid fraud is reported to the U.S. Department of Education's Inspector General.

Summary: The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee began with a work session on student complaints in higher education. Faculty, union, and research witnesses argued that current complaint systems are sometimes misused in bad faith, disproportionately affecting faculty of color, women, and contingent faculty, consuming institutional resources, and chilling academic freedom. They called for an initial screening process for bias or retaliation, routine data collection and equity review, and a faculty bill of rights. Committee members asked about FERPA, Title IX, and how complaint data could be tracked consistently across institutions. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. SB 6090 would create a Heritage Orchard Program at Washington State University to register and preserve heritage orchards and rare apple varieties; Senator Braun said it would honor Washington’s apple history and support research at low cost. SB 5931 would make technical changes to the Workforce Education Investment Oversight Board, including two-year co-chair terms, a later annual report date, and removal of a dashboard requirement; WASAC, labor, and Microsoft testified in support. SB 5963 would automatically qualify Passport to Careers students as income-eligible for the Washington College Grant and align financial aid definitions; WASAC, College Success Foundation, students, and student advocates supported it as a way to reduce barriers for foster and homeless youth. The committee also heard SB 5978, which would codify and expand the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program and require annual student notifications about admissions, financial aid, dual credit, and related opportunities. Supporters included the Council of Presidents, faculty, students, parents, and the Washington Roundtable, who said guaranteed admission and better outreach would reduce anxiety, improve transparency, and help more students enroll. Finally, SB 6082 would direct JLARC to audit fraud in state financial aid programs, including fictitious students and AI-enabled abuse; the sponsor cited recent fraud concerns, while community and technical college officials said colleges already have fraud controls in place, warned the audit was unfunded and potentially duplicative, and asked for more resources. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee will come to order for the purpose of continuing the public hearing on 2289, making the fiscal biennial
• Please restore funding and rebalance Medicaid rates to 2024 cost reports.
• We appreciate that you prioritized basic needs in your biennial budget and hope to see that carry forward
• Our food banks are reporting an increased number of people coming to their doors, many for the first

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee continued its public hearing on House Bill 2289, the fiscal biennial supplemental operating budget appropriations bill. The chair and vice chair explained the hearing process, limited testimony to one minute per person, and then heard extensive public comment from a wide range of advocates, local officials, service providers, and residents. No committee vote was taken during the hearing. Much of the testimony focused on opposition to proposed budget shifts involving Climate Commitment Act revenue, especially the proposed diversion of $569 million to other uses, including the Working Families Tax Credit. Environmental, public health, and local government witnesses argued those funds should remain dedicated to climate pollution reduction, wildfire resilience, clean transportation, natural climate solutions, and affordability programs. Several speakers also urged full funding for wildfire response and forest health, including the HB 1168 commitment, and opposed transfers from the Public Works Assistance Account. Other major topics included Medicaid and long-term care rates, with nursing home and assisted living providers warning that freezing or delaying rate rebasing would worsen staffing shortages and threaten access to care. Public health and health care advocates opposed cuts to foundational public health services, Apple Health expansion, and pharmacy benefit changes, while oral health advocates asked to preserve Medicaid dental funding and support Dentist Link. Testimony also supported or opposed funding for K-12 programs such as special education, the Ninth Grade Success Initiative, and homeless student stability; early learning and child care subsidies; disability services; public defense; housing and homelessness prevention; food assistance; higher education; and immigrant legal services. The committee concluded the hearing and adjourned after public testimony ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, someone would have to report it. Are you sure?
• Without reporting?
• without even getting a report.
• other than a complaint or report alleging the...
• It is a report.

Bills: SB6 , SB30 , SB13 , SB2878 , SB2501 , SB66 , SB268 , SB331 , SB618 , SB414 , SB1394 , SB2425 , SB898 , SB993 , SB442 , SB735 , SB784 , SB2538 , SB1919 , SB1013 , SB2215 , SB2322 , SB626 , SB570 , SB747 , SB2183 , SB673 , SB1015 , SB1447 , SB1370 , SB1784 , SB1897 , SB2873 , SB2891 , SB2933 , SB2540 , SB2681 , SB2695 , SB1965 , SB2203 , SB872 , SB875 , SB1030 , SB1277 , SB1730 , SB1681 , SB1152 , SB2969 , SB2747 , SB2705 , SB2541 , SB1708 , SB2080 , SB2721 , SB1986 , SB2392 , SB2539 , SB2857 , SB2799 , SB2785 , SB2782 , SB1531 , SB1927 , SB1263 , SB1098 , SB835 , SB3070 , SB22 , SJR27 , SB25 , SB7 , SB552 , SB1612 , SJR87 , SJR1 , SB6 , SB30 , SB13 , SB2878 , SB57 , SB127 , SB293 , SB441 , SB3059 , SB512 , SB241 , SB1718 , SB140 , SB2055 , SB2075 , SB2018 , SB1534 , SB1567 , SB785 , SB1233 , SB1580 , SB1663 , SB413 , SB447 , SB519 , SB467 , SB1579 , SB1191 , SB1021 , SB1838 , SB2807 , SB2835 , SB546 , SB2121 , SB2167 , SB2035 , SB2024 , SB1032 , SB1049 , SB1266 , SB1400 , SB1302 , SB401 , SB1596 , SB1281 , SB1242 , SB1343 , SB310 , SB1346 , SB2753 , SB2703 , SB2221 , SB1719 , SB2177 , SB800 , SB790 , SB748 , SB571 , SB1957 , SB1923 , SB1896 , SB1760 , SB1335 , SB2368 , SB2477 , SB2587 , SB2972 , SB2986 , SB2965 , SB1563 , SB1467 , SB1164 , SB1137 , SB614 , SB705 , SB961 , SB918 , SB955 , SB869 , SB850 , SB863 , SB1610 , SB1055 , SB2206 , SB457 , SB2337 , SB1362 , SB926 , SB1494 , SB251 , SB456 , SB500 , SB1307 , SB2615 , SB2995 , SB2321 , SB973 , SB974 , SB865 , SB506 , SB781 , SB1522 , SB1558 , SB510 , SB667 , SB763 , SB2073 , SB1858 , SB1660 , SB505 , SB2900 , SB1433 , SB1540 , SB1964 , SB1300 , SB1644 , SB2217 , SB2373 , SB2431 , SB1758 , SB2480 , SB3039 , SB3047 , SB3073 , SB2920 , SB2781 , SB826 , SB766 , SB2460 , SB527 , SB1946 , SB2885 , SB1243 , SB2610 , SB2595 , SB857 , SB2501 , SB66 , SB268 , SB331 , SB618 , SB414 , SB1394 , SB2425 , SB898 , SB993 , SB442 , SB735 , SB784 , SB2538 , SB1919 , SB1013 , SB2215 , SB2322 , SB626 , SB570 , SB747 , SB2183 , SB673 , SB1015 , SB1447 , SB1370 , SB1784 , SB1897 , SB2873 , SB2891 , SB2933 , SB2540 , SB2681 , SB2695 , SB1965 , SB2203 , SB872 , SB875 , SB1030 , SB1277 , SB1730 , SB1681 , SB1152 , SB2969 , SB2747 , SB2705 , SB2541 , SB1708 , SB2080 , SB2721 , SB1986 , SB2392 , SB2539 , SB2857 , SB2799 , SB2785 , SB2782 , SB1531 , SB1927 , SB1263 , SB1098 , SCR9 , HB5560 , HB762 , HB 107 , HB 114 , HB138 , HB4386 , HB2495 , HB581 , HB3348 , HB5323 , HB1584 , HB4341 , HB6 , HB171 , HB143 , HB449 , HB3486 , HB4263 , HB5246 , HB2 , HB2011 , SB17 , SB21

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school libraries, library advisory councils, parental rights, library materials, educational content, challenging materials, judicial branch, court security, expunction, pretrial intervention, youth diversion, record retention

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here. reports that the journal of February reports that the journal of February 27th
• There being none, the report objections? There being none, the report is<00:05:58.120><c> adopted.
• Joint conference committee reports.
• sheet for the report.
• </c> Number 1 Report. Anderson. I. I. Barlow. Number 1 Report. Anderson. I. I. Barlow.

Transcript Highlights:

• With a vote of eight aye and zero nay, we'll report your bill out as do pass. Thank you very much.
• With a vote of eight aye and zero nay, we'll report your bill out as do pass. Thank you very much.
• And one day, we'll report your bill out as due pass. Thank you very much. Sorry it took so long.
• We'll report your bill as do pass. That was the most votes so far. All right.
• With a vote of 10 aye and 0 nay, we'll report your bill as do pass. Thank you very much.

Bills: HB3183 , HB2999 , HB3787 , HB3499 , HJR1023

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: electric utilities, grid congestion, transmission technology, advanced power flow controllers, dynamic line rating, energy efficiency, nondisclosure agreements, public officials, transparency, government accountability, utility infrastructure, election, qualified elector, municipal office, school board, registration requirements, HB3499, special judge, special judges, court jurisdiction

Transcript Highlights:

• The 25-27 biennial appropriation is 1.6.7. legislatively mandated report that we'll receive and then
• The 2527 biennial appropriation is 1.6.7. The 2025–2027 biennial appropriation is $1.6 million.
• The 2025–2026 report summarizes all of this information.
• A total of 93.7 FTE were reported, and that was 133 headcount across the five institutions.
• You'll note on the report on page one in the chart, You'll note on the report on page one in the chart

Committee: Joint Higher Education Institutions Committee

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard a campus presentation from Dean Corey Gorder and President Steve Shirley. Gorder outlined DCB’s leadership changes, its affiliation with Minot State, and extensive shared services with Minot State, UND, and NDSU in areas such as business office functions, financial aid, payroll, HR, Title IX, printing, and institutional research. He said shared services help smaller campuses access expertise, and committee members asked about cost allocation and accreditation limits; Gorder said the arrangements are negotiated between institutions and that, to his understanding, academic accreditation is not affected by these service-sharing agreements. The committee also discussed DCB’s enrollment, dual credit reach, and program mix, including nursing, dental assisting and hygiene, paramedic training, drone certification, and farm management. Gorder said DCB wants to expand higher-demand, trade-oriented programs, strengthen Minot programming, and address facility needs, especially residence halls and space constraints in dental programs. Members asked detailed questions about dual credit, including how DCB develops relationships with high schools, whether it has exclusivity, who teaches the courses, and whether credits transfer. Gorder said relationships are built through outreach and existing school connections, that schools may choose other providers, and that DCB pays stipends to instructors under institution-specific formulas. NDUS staff Lisa Johnson said transfer problems are rare within North Dakota and usually arise only with highly selective out-of-state institutions. Gorder also noted that DCB’s dual credit and campus programming are heavily tied to rural schools and that the college is trying to streamline dual credit delivery as enrollment and staffing demands grow. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose representatives outlined student priorities from the last legislative session and the interim. Their main themes included campus safety, mental health resources, academic freedom, scholarships and affordability, teacher incentives, workforce readiness, housing, food accessibility, student research funding, internships, and campus collaboration. They said they supported or opposed various bills related to those issues during the 69th Legislative Assembly and emphasized that students want affordable, safe, and academically strong campuses. Committee members asked about housing affordability, food insecurity, research opportunities, and dual credit transfer and expansion. No votes were taken on policy matters during this portion of the meeting.