Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the January 16, 2026, meeting of the Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee
• Senate Bill 5863 relating to the preservation and inspection of state historical records.
• Our members are incredibly diverse and live in every corner of our state.
• thousands of construction workers across the state of Washington.
• strategy, a collection of policy priorities that can make our state more competitive.

Bills: SCR8406 , SB5825 , SB5842 , SB5863 , SB5840 , SB5827 , SB5968

Committee: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections

Keywords: civic health, community engagement, committee reestablishment, public participation, governance, Washington State Leadership Board, WSLB, gift acceptance, grants, endowments, private funding, public funding, fundraising, state board, youth leadership, civic engagement, leadership development, Washington World Fellows, sports mentoring, Boundless Washington

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the census The census department will report to the state or does the Department of Revenue.
• We have 41 district attorneys in this state.
• It's just simply a procedure to give state employees and retired state employees a cost of living increase
• Under this bill, we already have the highest tax rate of any surrounding state. Is that correct?
• How about… I apologize for stating something that I probably should have checked with you first.

Bills: SB107 , HB158 , HB353 , HB354 , HB357 , HB181 , HB465 , HB526

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: SSUT, simplified sellers use tax, sales tax distribution, municipal revenue, municipal population, annexation, deannexation, incorporation, boundary change, federal census, decennial census, Department of Revenue, local government finance, revenue sharing, municipal boundaries, population recalculation, probate judge, Boundary and Annexation Survey, Alabama municipalities, HB158

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state constitution is one of the clearest.
• Under Article 1, Section 2, it further states, "No member of this state shall be disenfranchised Or deprived
• Now is the time for our state to join the 29 other states that currently have state ERAs.
• No state has stronger protections; literally zero states in America have a stronger protection than we
• And the same is true on the state level.

Bills: HF1837 , HF361 , HF2725 , HF2566 , HF2744 , HF1685 , HF501 , HF1889 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state policy, employment, health insurance, fossil designation, public funds, community resources, Capitol Mall, grantmaking, community vitality, livability, funding, healthy aging, aging policy, older adults, seniors, elderly, gerontology, long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes

Transcript Highlights:

• State grants, scholarships, athletic opportunities, prison facilities, and women's shelters with males
• State grants, scholarships, athletic opportunities, prison facilities, and women's shelters with males
• ><c> scholarships</c><01:22:33.600><c> athletic</c> grants scholarships athletic grants scholarships
• Now is the time for our state to join the 29 other states that currently have it.
• Now is the time for our state to join the 29 other states that currently have it.

Bills: HF1837 , HF361 , HF2725 , HF2566 , HF2744 , HF1685 , HF501 , HF1889 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state policy, employment, health insurance, fossil designation, public funds, community resources, Capitol Mall, grantmaking, community vitality, livability, funding, healthy aging, aging policy, older adults, seniors, elderly, gerontology, long-term care, assisted living, nursing homes

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought we did this already, but through loft instead of through the secretary of state.
• But at this point in time, this one does, as you mentioned, take it to the secretary of state.
• So that is the current state of it, and that's what we're shooting for.
• So it's not just like a state agency.
• Is this a situation that we should absolutely outlaw for the whole state.

Bills: SB2063 , SB1877 , SB1884 , SB2174 , SB1525 , SB1771 , SB1805 , SB1916 , SB1365 , SB1810

Committee: House General Government

Keywords: unclaimed property, abandoned property, state treasurer, unclaimed property fund, public website, claimant, hearing, administrative procedures act, sales tax exemption, income tax subtraction, youth entrepreneurs, teen business, minor-owned business, sole proprietorship, business license exemption, entrepreneurship, youth vendor, Oklahoma Tax Commission, Title 60, Title 68

Transcript Highlights:

• That has not been my experience, and I've done that work all over the state.
• That is happening in the state of Oklahoma. You're recognized for follow-up.
• So that is the current state of it, and that's what we're shooting for. Thank you.
• So it would come from those agencies, so it's not just like a state agency.
• We are one of only two states that operate the receivership office in this way.

Bills: SB2063 , SB1877 , SB1884 , SB2174 , SB1525 , SB1771 , SB1805 , SB1916 , SB1365 , SB1810

Committee: House General Government

Keywords: unclaimed property, abandoned property, state treasurer, unclaimed property fund, public website, claimant, hearing, administrative procedures act, sales tax exemption, income tax subtraction, youth entrepreneurs, teen business, minor-owned business, sole proprietorship, business license exemption, entrepreneurship, youth vendor, Oklahoma Tax Commission, Title 60, Title 68

Summary: The committee first laid over Senate Bill 263, then took up several other measures. Senate Bill 1877, which would create a centralized reporting system for reports through the Secretary of State, was discussed as similar to House Bill 3047 and was reported due pass by a 6-0 vote. Senate Bill 1884, concerning access for statewide educator associations and individual school employees, drew questions about union access, off-campus recruitment, right-to-work law, and possible conflicting language on fees and reimbursement; it was reported due pass 6-1. The committee then advanced tourism and public safety measures. Senate Bill 1365 would update promotional fund language and allow the Tourism and Recreation Department to make certain merchandise purchases outside the central purchasing process up to $75,000; it passed 6-2. Senate Bill 2174 would change the appointment and makeup of the State Fire Marshal Commission board and was reported due pass 8-0. Senate Bill 1525, as amended by a PCS, would let the Tourism and Recreation Department contract for support of its annual tourism conference and charge registration fees to recoup costs, with emergency language added; it passed 6-2. The committee also approved House Bill 1810, which would allow expert testimony in human trafficking cases and add trafficking victims to existing victim services, by an 8-0 vote. On workforce and agency administration, Senate Bill 1771 would expand the Workforce Commission’s authority to collect funding, expenditure, and performance data and to hire outside counsel; it passed 5-2. Senate Bill 1805 would bar certain group homes and post-adjudication treatment facilities from using contract staff, due to concerns about records access and staffing; it passed 6-1. Finally, Senate Bill 1960 would move the Oklahoma Receivership Office under the Oklahoma Insurance Department to modernize and reduce duplication, and it was reported due pass 7-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're increasing some hours here within the state house and moving into the new state house as well,
• The total is $6,252,600, which is part of the 37,500 allocated in the back of the budget for the State
• Amount of interest on our state deposit is standing up a lot of the money we have in the general fund
• year 2025 state general fund appropriation.
• match, $2 million for the Medicaid State match, $2 million for the Medicaid State match, $2 million

Bills: HB186 , HB185 , HB184 , HB183 , HB181 , HB312 , HB405 , HB182 , HB460

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: Alabama budget, general fund appropriations, fiscal year 2026, state budget, appropriations act, HB186, executive branch funding, legislative branch funding, judicial branch funding, debt service, capital outlay, corrections, Medicaid, public health, mental health, transportation, education, law enforcement, tourism, veterans affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is brought on behalf of the state board of chiropractic examiners.
• This bill also modernizes state law...
• That's what it's looked like from other states.
• We were sent some information from other states that have had trial and error finding out a...
• This is just saying the state law does not supersede the local law.

Bills: SB191 , HB84 , HB79 , SB132 , HB108 , HB109 , HB110 , HB114 , HB118 , HB120 , HB122 , HB124 , HB126 , HB128 , HB129 , HB131

Committee: Senate Healthcare

Keywords: postpartum depression, mental health, Medicaid, screening, education, maternal health, Chiropractic, Board of Chiropractic Examiners, license renewal, continuing education, election procedures, off-label, pharmacists, medical treatment, state board of pharmacy, employment protection, SB132, Alabama, controlled substances, Schedule I

Bills: SB893

Committee: House Conference Committee on Health and Human Services Oversight

Keywords: foreign land ownership, military protection, critical infrastructure, whistleblower rewards, state security

Summary: The Chair opened the CCR Committee for Health and Human Services and took up Senate Bill 893. Representative Colwell explained that the bill is intended to protect military institutions and installations from foreign ownership in surrounding areas and offered to answer questions. No questions or objections were raised. The Chair then asked members to sign the bill out of committee. With no further objections, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony. Thank you for coming today.
• Please state your name for the record and begin your testimony. Thank you for coming today.
• I think we're not doing the best we could do for agriculture in this state.
• best we could do for agriculture<00:45:08.800><c> in</c><00:45:08.880><c> this</c><00:45:09.080><c> state
• </c> agriculture in this state. agriculture in this state.

Bills: HF3548

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: farm assistance, down payment, agriculture, state funding, loan modification, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In the rest of the state, that percentage is likely even higher.
• At both the state and local At both the state and local level, Massachusetts has made some progress in
• Whether preemption of the federal government to states, or states to municipal governments, preemption
• This is a top issue with my colleagues in other states.
• And also put useful and state resources at risk.

Bills: H5009

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Keywords: collective bargaining, worker rights, labor relations, public counsel services, state employees

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-03, House Bill 5000, which would allow single-family homes on smaller lots in areas with public water and sewer service. The hearing began with committee members outlining the Article 48 initiative process and then hearing from two subject-matter experts. Under Secretary Chris Clutchman of Housing and Livable Communities explained how the proposal would amend Chapter 40A, noted that Boston would be excluded, and said municipalities would still be able to adopt reasonable regulations on setbacks, bulk, height, and short-term rentals. He also flagged unresolved implementation questions, including how to treat wetlands, infrastructure capacity, and pre-existing nonconforming situations. Attorney Susan Murphy said the measure would significantly alter local zoning, could create conflicts with existing zoning districts and Section 3A/MBTA Communities rules, and raised concerns about infrastructure capacity and the lack of any home-size or affordability limits. Supporters of the petition argued that Massachusetts faces a severe housing shortage and that large minimum lot sizes are a major barrier to building starter homes. Proponents said the measure would legalize single-family homes on lots as small as 5,000 square feet with 50 feet of frontage where public sewer and water are available, and they cited polling showing public support for lot-size reform. They said the proposal could produce thousands of additional homes per year, help young families and seniors, and expand housing choices in high-cost suburbs. Committee members pressed the proponents on how the measure would interact with affordability, home size, frontage requirements, 40B compliance, and whether the bill would actually produce starter homes rather than larger expensive houses. The Massachusetts Municipal Association testified in opposition, urging the committee to take no action. MMA representatives argued that zoning is fundamentally a local decision and that the proposal would preempt municipal authority with a one-size-fits-all mandate. They also said the bill is impractical because public water and sewer service does not guarantee available capacity, citing examples of communities facing water and wastewater limits and costly infrastructure upgrades. MMA further argued the measure lacks affordability requirements and could be counterproductive, and pointed to existing and pending state tools such as Chapter 40Y, 40R-related proposals, and other housing funding or zoning reforms as better approaches. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• HR1 was extremely harmful to our country and our state budget as state legislators.
• HR1 was extremely harmful to our country and our state budget as state legislators.
• </c> our state. our state.
• For example, state residence. People say, 'I'm living in the state of Minnesota.'
• </c> "I'm living in the state of Minnesota. "I'm living in the state of Minnesota.

Bills: HF3396

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: property tax, task force, assessment, state revenue, local government, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That provides $300,000 in General Fund-State to the Secretary of State for the Humanities Washington
• What they do is they provide state and federal funding for a state-based oral health foundation to connect
• outlook, $153,000 near General Fund-State.
• It's 100% General Fund-State.
• State Historical Society.

Bills: SB5998

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To general fund state at $375 million.
• Classes and mine have become state software champions, earning scholarships and internships.
• I'm Nicole Gomez representing the Washington Federation of State Employees at over 40 state agencies,
• for Washington State.
• It is a state service. This is not just a local responsibility. It is a state service.

Bills: SB5998

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• many other states.
• One of the reasons TTK has grown across the state is because educators across our state are recognizing
• One of the reasons TTK has grown over the state is because educators across our state are recognizing
• in the state.
• state does.

Bills: SB5998

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If we hit that floor, we can stop sending any money to state highway fund and preserve ESF.
• Those are dollars that are not state generated. And roughly how much is that?
• So should our state revenues dry up, we haven't really set aside 10% of them.
• My guess is that we're in a much stronger fiscal position than most states, so most states don't have
• Uh, the waitlist for the state hospital, we need to eliminate the IDD waitlist.

Bills: SJR 4

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: term limits, state offices, constitutional amendment, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform

Transcript Highlights:

• It takes it from all governmental units, which we passed in the last one, to just move it to state agencies
• Under subsection 2, a state agency may request immediate publication?

Bills: SB2069

Committee: House Political Subdivisions

Keywords: legal notices, publication requirements, transparency, state agency, public access, 908, all

Summary: The Political Subdivisions Committee met to reconsider Senate Bill 269, which concerns legal notices and newspaper publication requirements. Representative Motschenbacher explained that a prior version had a mistake in Section 2 and that the revised amendment, worked out with the Public Service Commission and the North Dakota Newspaper Association, would limit the change to state agencies rather than all governmental units because the broader version would have required thousands of affidavits and been too burdensome. The committee also discussed the meaning of “immediate publication,” with the newspaper association stating the intent was to post notices on the website as soon as a print notice is received, even before newspaper publication, so notices would still appear online if the print version was missed. Members raised questions about whether posting notices online before print publication could affect statutory notice periods, such as 30-day notice requirements. The response given was that the clock would begin when the notice is published on the agency website. After discussion, the committee adopted the amendment 11-0, with two members absent and not voting. The committee then approved Senate Bill 269 as amended and further amended on a 11-0 vote, again with two absent and not voting. Representative Motschenbacher agreed to carry the bill, though members noted it would likely go to a conference committee because of differences between the House and Senate versions. The chair thanked those who worked on the bill and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:07.360><c> auditor</c> studied the office of the state auditor studied the office of the state
• </c><00:22:47.720><c> of</c> revenue for the state of revenue for the state of Minnesota<00:22:49.400
• state state government<00:28:04.519><c> so</c><00:28:04.760><c> quickly</c><00:28:05.519><c> um</c><
• </c><00:28:23.200><c> of</c> management and budget on the state of management and budget on the state
• </c><00:51:09.079><c> and</c> service heavy in the state and service heavy in the state and employment

Bills: HF3

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: legislative auditor, reporting, accountability, state finance, executive agency oversight, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Often they'll be like, we're a different state, and it looks like this because of that.
• She is state budget director and assistant commissioner. Good morning, Mr. Chair, members.
• But the Paid Family Leave program operates in a different part of the state treasury.
• </c><01:34:50.679><c> State</c> different part of the State State different part of the State State Treasury
• </c> we should all uh throughout state we should all uh throughout state government<01:44:28.960><c>

Bills: HF3

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: legislative auditor, reporting, accountability, state finance, executive agency oversight, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are also high educators that each of us know are in the top 100 jobs needed in the state.
• believe that under the current language, if a parent simply calls the principal or the superintendent stating

Bills: HB1937 , HB2210 , HB2398 , HB3021 , HB3129 , HB3312 , HB3557 , HB4358

Committee: House Education Oversight

Keywords: HB1937, Oklahoma schools, student communications, electronic communication, digital communication, parent notification, legal guardian, school personnel, teachers, coaches, administrators, charter schools, public schools, administrative leave, corroborated report, investigation, employee file, discipline, termination, school board