Transcript Highlights:

• Doesn't mean we're going to get it, but that was part of the budget.
• And so I love being a part of it.
• The first part that Tom said is all true. The other part is the tracks have done everything.
• And that always ends with a lot of eye rolls on their part.
• That's part of the strategy.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know you were trying to narrow it, but hopefully that'll be part of it.
• So it's a part of the process that it comes here, although there's no fiscal note on it.
• And so I believe that that is actually part of the amendment. All right.
• Part of the problem was the way the department was interpreting the law previously.
• And can I go back to the first part of your statement?

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on May 26, 2026, and first took up Senate Bill 433, which would provide Medicaid coverage for certain weight-loss medications. After adopting a House amendment adding customary subject-to-appropriation language, the committee heard from LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein, who said the state currently spends about $240 million a year on GLP-1 drugs for Medicaid patients with obesity and certain other conditions, and that the bill would let the department expand coverage gradually while controlling costs and negotiating better pricing. Members spoke in strong support, and SB 433 was reported favorable as amended. The committee then considered Senate Bill 157, which creates paid parental leave for eligible public K-12 educators and staff. An amendment was adopted to adjust fund language and make the bill proper for Appropriations. Senator Jenkins and supporters, including the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, described the bill as providing six weeks of paid leave for birth, adoption, fostering, and related family-building events, while members discussed whether medical leave should also be included and confirmed the leave applies to fathers as well. The bill drew broad support and was reported favorable as amended. Senate Bill 250, requiring the Office of Group Benefits to offer a comprehensive weight management plan with employees paying the full premium and medication costs, was briefly discussed and reported favorable without objection. The committee then spent considerable time on Senate Bill 237, a child welfare measure from Senator Barrow that would expand notification, access, and investigative procedures for the Child Ombudsman and DCFS, including child-on-child sexual abuse cases and multidisciplinary fatality reviews. Members and agency officials debated the fiscal note, with estimates ranging from about $525,000 to $3.2 million and disagreement over whether some costs were already covered or could be absorbed; after a roll call, the bill passed 10-9 and was reported favorable as amended. Finally, the committee began Senate Bill 155, which requires insurance coverage for medically necessary dental care tied to cancer treatment. Senator Talbot and medical and cancer advocacy witnesses said the bill would remove a barrier to timely chemotherapy or radiation and could prevent more expensive complications later. Members expressed support and discussed a relatively small fiscal note, but the transcript cuts off before final action on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we just did that part. I think we just did that part.
• I think that would be helpful for all of us to know and also for your part.
• So that has been a very useful part of the process.
• It's not a public part of deciding to release how they got there.
• For our part, in my way of looking at it, this is a really critical consideration.

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee established quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors and the State Mining and Geology Board, with one mining board appointment passing 3-2 and the others passing 5-0. The committee also approved a rule waiver request from the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee to allow budget subcommittees to meet during the blackout period, and it referred ACA 7 (Jackson) to the committees listed on the agenda after rejecting a motion to add Labor, Public Employment and Retirement as an additional referral. The committee then heard testimony from five appointees to the Board of Parole Hearings: William Munis, Michael Ruff, Rosalind Sergeant Burns, Mary Thornton, and Jack Weiss. In opening remarks, the appointees emphasized their corrections, legal, and public safety backgrounds and described parole work as evidence-based, collaborative, and focused on current risk rather than the original offense alone. Senators, especially Senator Jones, pressed them on recent high-profile parole grants involving child sex offenders, the extent of commissioner discretion, the use of coping mechanisms and risk assessments, transparency in en banc review votes, and whether the board’s decisions adequately protect public safety. The appointees said they must follow the law, rely on structured risk tools and expert assessments, and treat each case individually; several said they would defer to the Legislature on whether en banc votes should be made public. Members also questioned the board about use of MAT/drug-treatment records, commutation review, institutional behavior and write-ups, victim participation, elderly parole, and the role of community support and rehabilitation. The commissioners said treatment records are considered only in context with other reliable evidence, that reconsideration hearings and recidivism data help evaluate whether tools are working, and that victim and family members are given respectful accommodations and opportunities to participate. Senator Jones said he was not satisfied with the answers on discretion and accountability and stated he would not support Jack Weiss’s reappointment, citing ongoing concerns about professionalism. Public testimony at the end was overwhelmingly supportive of the five commissioners, with several advocates, formerly incarcerated people, and anti-recidivism coalition members praising the board’s rigor and the role of rehabilitation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So part of our... That concise. Yeah, no.
• I mean, Amy, you're part of the smoke claims task force.
• A big part of insurance is covering people for costs they actually incur.
• And that's a part of my concern about this...
• And that's part of that.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pace as that growth in workload, which is why we're seeking that additional position authority as part
• Grant programs have tripled in the past five to seven years, really, and so part of the reason we didn
• And frankly, part of the problem that we saw was due to a lack of staff.
• And naming a closure is not explicitly part of the prison closure decision process.
• of a report or part of, how is it that that's left out under what circumstances?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, I have to disagree with him on this part.
• Some kind of dedicated attention to males or men who are out here trying to be a part, a healthy part
• , not just present, but a healthy part of their children's lives.
• But that's part of it.
• That was part of the issue.

Summary: The House met for prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal, which passed 121-2 for February 26 and by voice vote for February 27. Members then offered several points of personal privilege, including tributes to law enforcement officers killed and wounded in Christian County, expressions of support for the affected families and departments, and recognition of a local racquetball championship and visiting guests, including U.S. Representatives Mark Alford and Eric Burlison and a child’s birthday. The chamber then took up numerous bills on third reading. HB 2097/1905, an elementary agriculture education pilot program, passed 148-0. HB 2167, authorizing the Attorney General’s Office to employ post-certified investigators in-house, passed 97-50, but its emergency clause failed 88-58 after debate over whether a unique emergency existed. HB 2747/2047, the Clean Slate expungement bill, passed 140-7 despite concerns about a fiscal note and implementation costs. HB 2587, addressing unmanned aircraft threats around large public gatherings and critical infrastructure, passed 140-2 and its emergency clause was adopted 133-11 ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Kansas City. Other bills passed included HB 1977 on civil detention for mental health evaluation (137-9), HB 2593 on National Guard and veterans-related matters including cybersecurity and tuition assistance (144-2), HB 1948, a fatherhood bill aimed at helping fathers overcome barriers to involvement with their children (141-4), and HB 2473, which clarifies handling of interest in real estate broker escrow accounts (149-0). The House also moved several bills to perfection, including HB 1786 on Highway Patrol purchase authority, HB 2105 on landlord water and sewer billing transparency, HB 2397 on water district dissolution thresholds, HB 2108 on Jefferson City viaduct and land conveyance issues, HB 2818 to annex St. Joseph Memorial Airport into city limits, and HB 1980 expanding peer review protections to EMTs and paramedics. The day ended with announcements, including an elections committee meeting and a rescheduled freshman meet-and-greet with the Attorney General.

Transcript Highlights:

• There were two parts of the conversation that we had over the summer.
• The first part involved discussing some of the more substantive deadlines or processes.
• The response was that the agency is part of WOTEC, so by default OPDP is part of One Washington as well
• The speaker said WOTEC is part of One Washington, so OPDP is by default as well.
• Is that part of this as well? Yeah. Would you like me to take that? Sure. Sure.

Bills: HB2426, HB2606

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, data protection, privacy, performance measures, reporting requirements, office of privacy, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is, as part of the reporting requirements in there.
• But the only part that was paid is before they dropped out.
• I appreciate the outcome-based part of this process from its inception.
• It's part of the mental health issues.
• It's all part of the process, even currently.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fourth, I'll tell you, you know, we're a true part-time government.
• We're a part-time government. We're not a full-time government.
• But I do want to make a comment on the supposedly part-time job. Mr.
• This is not a part-time job.
• If you want to make it a part-time job, we recognize some members are doing it part-time.

Summary: The committee first took up HCR 2047 and the identical companion H.R. 2002, both of which would direct state communications to use the terms Judea and Samaria instead of West Bank and affirm the historical, biblical, and legal legitimacy of those names. The sponsor and several proponents, including Jeff Schwartz, Jason Morris, Rabbi Pinchas Alouche, and Jake Bennett, argued that the language is historically accurate and that “West Bank” is a political term that erases Jewish history. No one testified against either measure. HCR 2047 passed 10-6, and H.R. 2002 passed 11-6, both with due pass recommendations. The committee then heard HB 2554, which would establish a biennial state budget process and biennial capital planning, shifting agencies to submit budget requests every other year and requiring the governor to propose a two-year executive budget. Sponsor Rep. Joseph Chaplik said the bill would make government smaller, more disciplined, and more efficient, reduce long budget sessions, and restore a part-time legislative model. JLBC staff provided historical context on Arizona’s past annual and biennial budgeting systems and noted that second-year budgets are often modified for revenue and caseload changes. Several members raised concerns about legislative leverage, flexibility, and whether the change would be constitutional or practical. The bill received a do-pass recommendation after debate. Next, HB 2014, as amended, would require ADEQ and the Department of Agriculture to study gasoline blend emissions and feasibility for seasonal fuel sales in certain areas, with appropriations for the studies. Sponsor Rep. Lisa Fink said the bill responds to fuel vulnerability in Maricopa County and possible supply disruptions tied to California refinery closures. Some members supported the concept but voted present or no, citing prior stakeholder work, cost, and uncertainty about whether the studies would change outcomes. The amended bill passed with a do-pass recommendation. HB 2180, as amended, appropriated funding for the AZ Reach hospital transfer program; Rep. Julie Willoughby and AZ Reach representatives said it helps rural hospitals transfer patients efficiently and keeps clinicians at the bedside. The committee adopted an amendment reducing the appropriation from $2.5 million to $500,000, and the bill passed with a due pass recommendation after testimony from rural health providers. Finally, HB 2156, as amended, appropriated $250,000 to the livestock compensation fund to help ranchers with wolf depredation losses and conflict-avoidance measures. Game and Fish staff said the existing federal funding is unstable and insufficient, and the state fund helps compensate ranchers in rural Arizona. Some members supported the fund but opposed using general funds, citing budget constraints, transparency concerns, and wildlife conservation priorities. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill with a due pass recommendation. The meeting adjourned after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's part of our Revive I-5 program.
• So making sure that we're watching all of our assets in various parts.
• So making sure that we're watching all of our assets in various parts.
• of our community response. such an incredible part of our community response.
• We're here to be a part of the solution to all of our problems.

Bills: SB5989

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Part 9, formerly Rule 15. Thank you. An amendment to 23 CAR Part 9, formerly Rule 15.
• Are a part of a holding company group.
• Part 91. Any... About that rule, 7 C.R. Part 91. Any questions from the members?
• of it, but not the other part?”
• And the part of this bill, though, that you said could go forward was the— which part?”

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council reviewed several agency rules and requests. It approved without objection an Insurance Department amendment implementing Act 261’s holding company system requirements, two State Board of Election Commissioners rules on poll watchers/provisional voting and certified election monitors, and a Treasurer of State rule removing DEI-related membership requirements to comply with Act 938. The committee also held over for a month a Department of Education request related to excluding a rule from reporting requirements so it could be discussed further with the Department of Commerce. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Human Services’ request to be excluded from rulemaking for Acts 567, 568, 967, and 1025. DHS said federal CMS guidance created comparability and other issues for the Medicaid-related dental and diagnostic lab provisions, making it difficult to implement the acts as written by their effective dates. DHS outlined possible paths, including broader adult dental coverage, waivers, or splitting the dental rate increase from the special-needs cap increase. The Arkansas State Dental Association disputed DHS’s approach, arguing Act 1025 is workable, that the pediatric rate increase should move forward separately, and that DHS should continue pursuing the law rather than stop rulemaking. Committee members questioned both sides extensively about CMS correspondence, waiver timelines, fiscal impact, and whether the acts could be severed. After testimony from DHS, the Dental Association, and a public commenter, the committee adopted a motion not to exclude DHS from reporting requirements for Acts 567, 568, 967, and 1025, meaning DHS must continue the normal rulemaking/reporting process. The committee then accepted the Division of Higher Education’s report, which recommended repealing three of its 32 rules and keeping the remaining 29 in effect. It also received routine written updates on older and newer rulemaking items and filed the monthly updates without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It has to be part of the RSA going forward.
• But again, this is a two-part purchase.
• part of West Little Rock that goes out to Pinnacle.
• And I think part of that is due to...” Pinnacle.
• And I think part of that is due to, ...is one of the least traveled, least popular parts.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So part of the nuance that we have to be as stewards... ...are features.
• This is a multi-part question, so I'll keep it to one. It count as one.
• This is a multi-part question, so I'll keep it to one. It count as one.
• That was part one of the proviso.
• You can only do something that's older than some other part, or...

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee heard presentations from the Department of Commerce, the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and a consultant on the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) study. Commerce officials described their agency’s role in housing, energy, local government, broadband, and other capital programs, and reported on a $5 million pilot under Senate Bill 5200 that used trusted community messengers and technical assistance to help historically excluded organizations prepare for capital funding. They said 18 organizations received direct support and 79 smaller projects were also funded, but emphasized that statutory match rules, reimbursement-based payments, site-control requirements, insurance and audit costs, and extensive contracting rules remain major barriers. Commerce outlined efforts to expand outreach, digital modernization, internal contracting improvements, tribal MOUs, and innovation centers, and members asked about small business support, housing program placement, and outreach to Eastern Washington and communities of color. RCO described its grant programs for recreation, conservation, education, and salmon/orca recovery, and reviewed equity work done before and after a 2021-23 proviso. The agency had already created a small-communities carve-out in youth athletic facilities, piloted stipends for advisory committee members, and reduced match requirements where allowed. Under the proviso, RCO completed an equity review and a planning program that funded 54 projects across 34 counties, with many applicants being new or long-absent grantees. Staff said the review led to changes in scoring criteria, clearer application guidance, more objective data measures, expanded technical assistance, and targeted community engagement. Members asked about application burden, project sizes, outreach, and how the agency is broadening participation and representation on advisory committees. The final presentation summarized a planning study on SCAP, which examined rising construction costs, fragmented grant programs, local funding barriers, and uneven district capacity. The report recommended nine major changes, including stronger planning support, a new minor-modernization category, a mechanism to use unused funds more quickly, an education-specification prototype, a SCAP enhancement program for low-capacity districts, acceptance of non-SCAP funds, phased modernization, streamlined D-form and reimbursement processes, and revisions to the SCAP formula to better account for grade-band differences, enrollment projections, and regional cost factors. Additional recommendations included ongoing monitoring and evaluation, facilities-impact reviews, matching SCAP increases to construction-cost inflation, earlier locking of funding estimates, flexible program spaces, and updated statewide building-condition assessments. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• What works in one part of the nation may not work here.
• much produce is coming from compared to the other part of the field, they're not alike.
• So I'm only going to show you the apple part in the interest of time.
• So I look forward to hearing the last part of your presentation. Thank you, Chair.
• We know that this is a part-time job and you're doing other work out there in the universe.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held an interim work session focused on Washington agriculture’s viability, workforce, and competitiveness. Director Derek Sanderson of the Washington State Department of Agriculture and WSU Dean Raj Kosla described the size and diversity of the state’s farm sector, declining farm numbers, major export markets, and pressures from labor costs, low commodity prices, trade barriers, drought, regulatory burdens, and pests and disease. Kosla emphasized WSU’s land-grant role in education, research, and extension, including precision agriculture, broadband needs in rural areas, and the need for state support to help producers adopt new technologies and train the next generation of agricultural workers. Members asked about retaining farmland, increasing workforce capacity, and the role of precision agriculture. Kosla said precision agriculture can help address labor shortages and water scarcity, but adoption is limited by cost and rural broadband gaps. He explained precision agriculture as tailoring inputs to the right place, time, amount, and manner, and said WSU is working on low-cost sensor technologies and other innovations. Members also asked about how widely precision agriculture is used and whether it improves farm bottom lines; Kosla said adoption varies by tool and that he would follow up with more data. The committee then heard from Dr. Randy Fortenberry of WSU’s Impact Center on an agricultural competitiveness study and the effects of tariffs and trade. He reported that Washington’s competitiveness has generally declined relative to peer states in dairy, grapes, hops, apples, and wheat, with potatoes as the main bright spot. Surveyed producers said a substantial share of revenue is tied to regulatory compliance, with labor-related costs a major driver, and small diversified farms reported land access, capital, and profitability as bigger barriers than regulation. On trade, Fortenberry said Washington agriculture is highly export-dependent and vulnerable to retaliation, citing past losses in wheat, apples, pulses, and cherries when tariffs disrupted markets, while noting current uncertainty around China and India. The committee asked follow-up questions about compliance time, peer-state comparisons, and regulatory burdens; no votes were taken, and the department said it plans an interim report by the end of the year and a final report by June 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, that was part of the reforestation part of the claim.
• But the biggest part was community members. For post-recovery, that was the biggest part we had.
• You can see it's a significant part of the state.
• This is going to kind of be in two parts, real quick.
• But I can cover her part, as well as the NRCS part.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's part of it.
• So that's that's part of it. workers. So that's that's part of it.
• Um, and other communities are seeing that as well and wanting to take part in that.
• </c><00:13:03.279><c> in</c> and and and wanting to take part in and and and wanting to take part in
• And so that is part of the the that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's three parts to the roadmap.
• Part one requires the DEP to take stock of the current situation by submitting...
• Part 2...
• Part two of the roadmap requires DEP to submit a priority ranking for upgrading all sewage facilities
• So to that point, as part of the... regulation and just means we're not going to do anything.

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met with a quorum present and considered a series of environmental, water, waste, boating, and land-use bills. SB 834 on recreational fishing vessel licenses was briefly explained as aligning licensure rules for freshwater and saltwater captains and was reported favorably. SB 1208 on service lateral assessment and rehabilitation would require periodic CCTV inspections, a seven-year assessment cycle, and a long-term public database for sewer laterals; county representatives opposed it over private-property and cost concerns, but the bill was reported favorably. SB 978 on advanced wastewater treatments, as amended, would require DEP reports and a long-term prioritization plan for upgrading large wastewater facilities to advanced treatment; the committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee then took up SB 1822 on auxiliary containers, which would preempt local regulation of certain packaging and define the term in statute. The sponsor argued it would reduce a patchwork of local rules and help businesses, while opponents from environmental groups, local advocates, and some local governments warned it would weaken plastic and foam restrictions, including in parks and coastal communities. Despite substantial opposition and several senators expressing concern, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved CS for SB 384 on notice for annexation of state-owned lands, after a technical amendment requiring written or email notice to legislative delegations, and reported it favorably. SB 1008 on waste incineration would bar new ash-producing incinerators or waste-to-energy facilities within a half-mile of residential, commercial, or school property. The sponsor said the bill was aimed at preventing another fire-related incident like the Doral plant and clarified it was intended to apply only to new facilities, not existing ones; waste-to-energy and county representatives opposed it as too restrictive, while several senators sought clarifying changes. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute amendment to CS for SB 594 on port channel and turning basin buffer zones, reducing the proposed anchoring setback from 5,000 feet to 2,500 feet and allowing ports to create buffer zones after public hearings and rulemaking; the bill was then reported favorably. Finally, SB 830 on lost or abandoned property, aimed at streamlining removal of migrant vessels that pose navigational and environmental hazards, was reported favorably after brief support testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the worst or the hardest part of the work I do.
• So that part of it, I think, is less concerning and I do appreciate the testimony.
• What do you see that part where the kids are actually being informed about?
• I noticed in your language, it takes the part out.
• That's part of the purpose of this is to serve as a stronger deterrent.

Bills: HB268, HB305, HB307, HB380, HB548, HB727, HB268, HB305, HB307

Keywords: false reporting, emergency response, criminal penalties, restitution, public safety, penalties, emergency services, public institutions, false reports, criminal penalty, pretrial hearings, criminal competency, legal process, court timelines, restoration of competency, fines, community service, credit, criminal justice, defendants

Transcript Highlights:

• What this a part of their rent.
• </c> tenant portion of the rent and the part tenant portion of the rent and the part that<00:50:49.440
• Uh this uh this part of the 5% match.
• </c> thought about being part of that budget. thought about being part of that budget.
• </c> cameras and other recordings as a part cameras and other recordings as a part of<03:22:00.880><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, for the most part, that is a Obviously, for the most part, that is a tradition<00:02:14.959
• </c> they just you skip the burial part. Mhm. they just you skip the burial part. Mhm.
• </c> the two-year part. Okay. the two-year part. Okay.
• There are four parts to the bill.
• </c> It would be qualified as part of that documented part of that, um, 303.02 engineering.

Keywords: 1189, house, all