Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails and the minutes are adopted.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security met on January 13, 2026, adopted the January 7 minutes, and reviewed the committee’s work on the annual AAST/ACAS security report. The chair emphasized that the committee’s purpose is advisory only, but that its recommendations could guide the governor and legislature on improving security at the Minnesota Capitol complex. She also highlighted prior testimony about security practices in other states and said the committee’s report would likely recommend stronger screening and weapon-ban policies as part of a broader effort to prevent violence in public government spaces. Department of Public Safety advisers reported that they are still reviewing the report in detail and determining internal next steps. They also said quarterly security meetings with building tenants have been held and that internal and external tabletop exercises with law enforcement and other security partners are scheduled for the end of January. The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms gave a brief update on operational security changes, including hiring additional staff with security experience, weekly security meetings with DFL and GOP chiefs of staff, installation of two security kiosks, rollout of encrypted keycard ID badges, updated emergency procedure QR-code stickers, and implementation of the State Patrol’s threat matrix and reporting protocol. The Senate also said it is continuing joint training with the House and LCC. The committee then moved into a closed session under Minnesota Statute 13D.05, subdivision 3D, to discuss sensitive security details and non-public findings from the capital security assessment. The chair stated that the closed session would cover confidential vulnerabilities and operational information, and that the committee would later reconvene in public to vote on whether certain provisions from the public executive summary should be included as recommendations in the final report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Present not voting, the motion prevails.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There being 12 ayes, 8 nays, and 0 present not voting, the motion prevails.

Transcript Highlights:

• What you're going to do is allow the racist statement to prevail.

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• There'll be 9 eyes and zero nasal motion prevails.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, there'll be nine ayes and zero nays; the motion prevails.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. Amendment is adopted. Representative Keeler, to your bill as amended, please.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 1534, authored by Representative Keeler, was heard and amended with the A1 amendment, which was adopted without objection. The bill would move the Healthy Eating Here at Home/Market Bucks program from the Department of Humanities to the Department of Health and expand the nutrition incentive program from farmers markets to grocery stores, with the goal of helping SNAP recipients afford fresh fruits and vegetables year-round and leveraging federal matching funds. Representative Keeler said the proposal would better align food insecurity work with health outcomes and support both local consumers and local grocers. The Minnesota Grocers Association testified in support, describing the bill as an expansion of a successful program that would help low-income shoppers and provide added support to retailers, especially small businesses facing rising costs. A testifier, Tamara Walter, also supported the bill as a SNAP recipient and Market Bucks user, saying the program helps her family afford healthier food and that winter access to fresh produce is especially important because of diabetes and celiac disease in her household. There was no public testimony in opposition and no member discussion. The committee then laid the bill over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails, and the bill is on its way to the General Register.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• As we continue to lift up the whole topic of autism, with the increase in the prevailing winds of autism

Bills: SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB10 , SB11 , SB19 , SB20 , SB25 , SB62 , SB260 , SB263 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB412 , SB441 , SB442 , SB494 , SB523 , SB569 , SB616 , SB688 , SB707 , SB766 , SB842 , SB869 , SB890 , SB914 , SB929 , SB971 , SB992 , SB1066 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SJR36 , SJR18 , SCR9 , SCR13 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB372 , SB495 , SB842 , SB971 , SB1066 , SB929 , SB765 , SB523 , SB62 , SB19 , SB18 , SB666 , SB688 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB706 , SB847 , SB869 , SB890 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB494 , SB290 , SB766 , SB11 , SB10 , SB13 , SB263 , SB412 , SB20 , SB441 , SB442 , SB1621 , SB569 , SB314 , SB25 , SB293 , SB914 , SB260 , SB1248 , SB740 , SB14 , SB1006 , SB20 , SB25 , SB260 , SB293 , SB314 , SB384 , SB442 , SB494 , SB616 , SB869 , SB890 , SB929 , SB992 , SB1145 , SB1621 , SR232 , SR237 , SR242 , SB16 , SB22

Keywords: capital gains, taxation, constitutional amendment, state revenue, individual investment, Supreme Court, judicial independence, Keep Nine, checks and balances, water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, education, Ten Commandments, public schools, religious display

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:06:21.800><c> hi</c> There being eight votes in favor and seven votes against, the motion prevails

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• motion</c><00:05:31.680><c> does</c><00:05:31.880><c> not</c> In seven days, the motion does not prevail

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 1101, which would add $1.5 million to the agricultural emergency account beginning July 1, 2026. Chair Anderson explained that the account was created after the 2015 bird flu outbreak, has been funded in the past, and currently has about $1.2 million remaining. He said the bill would strengthen the state’s ability to respond to livestock disease emergencies and support the Board of Animal Health and Department of Health. Representative Hansen offered the A1 amendment to shift $1.5 million from an unused $4 million dairy line item into the emergency account, arguing the funds were sitting unused, a federal farm bill was uncertain, and the money could help with immediate food testing and emergency response. Chair Anderson opposed the amendment, saying the dairy funds had been set aside for that purpose, he expected federal action in the coming months, and he was unsure the emergency account statute allowed the money to be used for food testing. He recommended a no vote. A roll call was taken on the A1 amendment, and it failed by a vote of 6-7. After brief additional comment in support of the bill, House File 1101 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion prevails. That concludes our agenda for today. The meeting is adjourned. [Music]

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It generated $6.5 billion in wages and over 155,000 jobs. The occupancy tax continues to increase.
• It means that in Western Mass, as you've just heard, we can't pay artists a living wage.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development held a hearing on October 21, opening with a moment of silence for former committee chair Senator Edward Kennedy. Chairs Senator Paul Mark and Representative Sean Garballey then heard testimony on several bills related to tourism funding, arts infrastructure, public art, Native heritage, and a choreographer laureate. A major focus was legislation to require earlier distribution of regional tourism council grants from the Tourism Trust Fund, with testimony from regional tourism leaders from North of Boston, Metro West, Cape Cod, and Senator Joan Lovely. Witnesses said delayed grant allocations make it difficult to plan fall, winter, and shoulder-season marketing, and they argued that an October 1 or September 1 deadline would help preserve tourism’s economic impact without increasing appropriations. They cited tourism’s role in jobs, tax revenue, and regional economic development, especially for smaller and less prominent tourism regions. The committee also heard strong support for the Creative Space Act and the PLACE Act, which would help municipalities preserve affordable creative workspace and create a public art funding mechanism tied to state construction projects. Testimony from MassCreative, MAPC, arts organizations, muralists, and local arts leaders emphasized loss of workspace, displacement of artists, and the economic and community benefits of public art. Additional testimony supported bills to protect Native American heritage by preventing the sale of funerary and sacred objects in public or nonprofit collections, and a bill to establish a first-in-the-nation choreographer laureate of the Commonwealth. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2175, relative to a youth training wage. House Bill 2175.
• An Act relative to a youth training wage, House No. 2175.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and then took up several procedural matters, including adopting a resolution recognizing the work of Ukraine Forward and suspending Joint Rule 12 for a number of petitions. The chamber also scheduled several bills for later consideration, including measures on unemployment insurance for fluctuating work schedules, the Medical Society mission statement, a youth training wage, bridge and intersection namings, handicapped parking fines, public-way safety, excavation restoration, motor vehicle safety, and a Newton police age requirement. Two engrossed local bills were passed to be enacted: one authorizing retired police officers as special police in Plainville and another allowing Orange to increase its Board of Selectmen membership. The main policy debate centered on House No. 5151, An Act relative to energy affordability, clean power, and economic competitiveness. Supporters described it as a broad affordability and clean-energy package that would cut costs for ratepayers, reform Mass Save, speed clean-energy procurement and interconnection, return a portion of alternative compliance payments to customers, and address biomass and other energy issues. Opponents argued the bill relied too heavily on long-term programs and new administrative structures while offering little immediate relief, and raised concerns about costs being shifted to consumers, impacts on natural gas, and the pace of implementation. Several amendments were debated and rejected, including proposals to shift public benefit charges away from peak hours, pause public benefit charges for a year, require greater utility disclosure before rate increases, and add a forest-clearing penalty for solar development. One amendment to the energy bill was adopted: a consolidated amendment that included budget-billing consumer protections for gas customers, requiring notice and conservation recommendations when usage rises significantly. The House also adopted an amendment to a separate conservation-restriction bill for Hanson, changing a figure in the underlying law, and passed that bill to be engrossed as amended. The energy bill’s consolidated amendment passed by roll call, while several other amendments failed by roll call votes. The House observed multiple moments of silence honoring Jaden Booker, Thomas Skip Karam, former Freetown Police Chief Carlton Abbott, and former Representative and Senator William Q. “Biff” McLean, Jr.

Transcript Highlights:

• businesses are the foundation of California's economy, and the people who power those businesses—our hourly wage
• Why is the credit a fixed amount instead of a percentage amount for the wages for new hire journalists

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee heard a series of bills focused on nonprofit tax status, housing, tribal land return, tax relief, economic development, journalism, reparations, manufacturing investment, and pawned property sales tax. The chair explained the committee’s suspense file process and noted that only AB 2270 and AB 2641 were eligible for immediate votes; other measures were referred to suspense after presentation. AB 2084 (Bauer-Kahan) would give the Franchise Tax Board discretion to delay or review revocation of state nonprofit tax-exempt status when federal status is revoked, and AB 2167 (Macedo) would clarify that tribally chartered corporations are eligible for existing tribal conservation land return tax exemptions. Both drew support from nonprofit and tribal representatives and were sent to suspense. AB 2270 (Arambula) sought to improve farmworker housing access to low-income housing tax credits by adjusting scoring criteria to reflect rural agricultural realities. Supporters said current amenity-based scoring disadvantages projects near farmland; the bill passed the committee 4-1 and was sent to Housing and Community Development. AB 2336 proposed excluding the first $25,000 of overtime pay and pension income from taxation; supporters framed it as affordability relief, while an opponent warned of major General Fund losses and a member raised the lack of an income cap. AB 2205 would reinstate the New Employment Credit to encourage hiring in high-unemployment areas, and AB 2222 would create refundable tax credits for local news organizations hiring journalists; both received strong support from business, labor, and media advocates and were referred to suspense. The committee also heard AB 2186, which would exclude future reparations payments from state income tax, with supporters arguing reparations should not be reduced by taxation; it was sent to suspense. AB 2377 would accelerate depreciation deductions for manufacturing equipment, with a larger benefit in high-need areas, and AB 2641 would extend the sales tax exemption for people repurchasing their own property from pawnbrokers, with the author agreeing to a five-year sunset amendment. AB 2641 passed 4-0 and was sent to Appropriations. After taking up the remaining roll calls for absent members, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• train or upskill an eligible employee who obtains an upskill credential and receives a qualifying wage
• train or upskill an eligible employee who obtains an upskill credential and receives a qualifying wage

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of House bills and one constitutional resolution, with several measures receiving title amendments and some taking effect immediately or on a specified date. Early action included moving House Bill 5438, concerning the foundation allowance for instructional programs, to the foot of third-reading bills. House Bill 5441, reforming the state personnel system, was amended with a Judiciary strike-and-insert technical fix, then passed 28-6 and was set to take effect July 1, 2026. House Bill 5462 on mine subsidence insurance passed unanimously, with a title amendment adopted. House Bill 5484, creating felony offenses related to denying medical treatment to sexual offense victims, also passed unanimously with a title amendment. House Bill 5515 modernizing workers’ compensation statutes passed unanimously with a title amendment, and House Bill 5527 establishing licensure and regulation for wellness reimbursement programs passed unanimously. House Bill 5528, protecting personal residential information of certain public officials, passed unanimously with a title amendment. The most extended debate centered on House Bill 5537, an education-related bill that was amended to add a child-protection provision later referred to as “Rayleigh’s law.” The amendment would bar approval of home instruction requests in certain child abuse or neglect cases until the Department of Human Services confirms the investigation is unfounded, closed, or not substantiated, or until 10 days pass without a response. Senators argued the measure was intended to protect children and not target homeschooling. After a point of order, the chair initially ruled the amended language not germane; that ruling was challenged and ultimately overruled by a 24-7 vote, allowing the amendment to remain. The bill then passed 24-7, and a title amendment was adopted. Other measures passed with little or no opposition. House Bill 5582 removed the sunset on the TANF applicant drug-screening program and passed 28-3 after a technical committee amendment. House Bill 5687 reduced the metallurgical coal severance tax over time and adjusted oil and gas tax allocations, passing 31-3. Several supplemental appropriations also passed and were made effective from passage, including funds for Homeland Security/corrections, the Adjutant General, Health, the State Road Fund, and Tourism/Culture and History. The Senate also adopted House Joint Resolution 42, which would place on the ballot a constitutional amendment increasing the homestead exemption from $20,000 to $40,000 and allowing future changes by general law. In second reading, the Senate advanced bills on workforce training reimbursements, aerospace and advanced manufacturing incentives, portable benefit accounts, literacy and science-of-reading training, school aid formula changes, and wedding venue regulation, with amendments adopted on several of them before advancement to third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• agree that ensuring that justice is delivered efficiently to those who are victims of retail theft, wage
• Wage theft and construction fraud are addressed in a manner so that they can go home, folks could go

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6244 , SB6044 , SB5109 , SB5877 , SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, approved the prior day’s minutes, and then recessed briefly for caucus. The chamber received several Senate messages, including concurrence on amendments and the signing of Engrossed Senate Bill 5068, before moving into third reading and final passage of multiple bills. Most of the floor debate centered on concurrence with Senate amendments and the policy effects of those changes. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170 passed 55-38 and was described as reorganizing and clarifying how Climate Commitment Act auction revenues are distributed among state accounts; supporters said it would create a clearer budget process, while opponents objected to shifting funds away from transportation and capital uses and reducing tax relief. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 passed 54-40 after debate over Climate Commitment Act account structure and operating-account allocations. Engrossed House Bill 2445 passed 66-29 on probate-related changes, with supporters citing clarifications and opponents saying it did not go far enough to limit outside involvement in probate matters. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 2334 80-15, with little debate after Senate “perfecting” changes. Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 passed 86-9; supporters said it would replace an inconsistent property tax on wind, solar, and battery storage facilities with a stable excise tax to benefit rural communities, counties, and labor, while opponents focused on tax impacts and local burdens. Additional bills passed included Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500 on HOA resale certificates (61-34), Second Substitute House Bill 1909 creating a Court Unification Task Force (57-38), Engrossed House Bill 2156 expanding Attorney General investigative authority over economic and financial crimes (54-41 on reconsideration), Substitute House Bill 2539 on inmate funds and related deductions (57-38), Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548 on health care facility mergers and market oversight (55-41), Engrossed House Bill 2588 on local control for the Lummi ferry system (56-40), and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 on gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms (58-38). The House also agreed not to concur in Senate amendments to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 and retransmitted it to the Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• agree that ensuring that justice is delivered efficiently to those who are victims of retail theft, wage
• Wage theft and construction fraud are addressed in a manner so that they can go home, folks could go

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5831 , SB6244 , SB6044 , SB5109 , SB5877 , SB6258

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, juice grapes, agriculture, commerce, state regulation, market access, fire safety, insurance incentives, best practices, community protection, voluntary measures, mortgage modification

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the previous day’s minutes, heard Senate messages on several bills, and then took up a series of third-reading and concurrence votes. The chamber also received notice that the Senate had concurred in House amendments to several other bills and that the Senate President had signed Engrossed Senate Bill 5068. Members then considered a slate of bills dealing with climate commitment account revenue, court administration, attorney general investigative authority, inmate funds, health care facility transactions, ferry governance, gun violence prevention and 3D-printed firearms, and renewable energy tax treatment. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1170, Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251, Engrossed House Bill 2445, Substitute House Bill 2334, Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500, Second Substitute House Bill 1909, Engrossed House Bill 2156, Substitute House Bill 2539, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2548, Engrossed House Bill 2588, and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 all received final passage after Senate amendments, with several members speaking in support or opposition. Supporters generally described the measures as clarifying revenue accounts, improving court access, protecting consumers, updating inmate account limits, addressing hospital consolidation, enabling local ferry management, and strengthening gun-violence prevention or renewable-energy tax policy. Opponents raised concerns about reduced transparency, expanded bureaucracy, shifting costs, attorney general overreach, limits on local control, and First Amendment or property-rights issues. Recorded votes showed passage on each of those bills, with margins ranging from narrow to broad: 55-38 on HB 1170, 54-40 on HB 2251, 66-29 on HB 2445, 80-15 on SHB 2334, 86-9 on ESHB 1960, 61-34 on ESHB 1500, 57-38 on SSB 1909, 54-41 on EHB 2156 after reconsideration, 57-38 on SHB 2539, 55-41 on ESHB 2548, 56-40 on EHB 2588, and 58-38 on ESHB 2320. The House also agreed to retransmit Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 to the Senate after deciding not to concur in the Senate’s fourth amendment. The meeting ended with both caucuses called and the House at ease.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's home to over 40 million square feet of industrial space, and it supports more than 70,000 family-wage
• It's home to over 40 million square feet of industrial space, and it supports more than 70,000 family-wage

Bills: HB2306 , HB2711

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transportation budget, capital budget, operating budget, appropriations, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferry funding, state ferries, highway maintenance, road preservation, bridge replacement, tolling, express toll lanes, traffic safety, speed cameras, ignition interlock, transit grants, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• And in addition to them being more expensive, the wages are very low inside prison.
• talked about earlier when the bill was briefed, there's a lot of deductions that come out of people's wages

Bills: HB2510

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: community custody, probation, Department of Corrections, DOC supervision, Washington criminal law, sentencing, felony supervision, risk assessment, sex offense, serious violent offense, domestic violence, repetitive domestic violence, failure to register, sex offender registration, dangerous mentally ill offender, indeterminate sentence, parole, conditional commutation, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor