Transcript Highlights:

• I'm proud that we were named by Realtor.com the hottest zip code in the country, which reflects both
• Uniform standards enable interoperability and efficiency.
• Uniform standards enable, excuse me, interoperability and efficiency.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met for its second hearing to study the future of credit card payments and sales transactions and their impacts on small businesses. Members heard extensive testimony from credit unions, retailers, restaurants, and payment-industry representatives on interchange fees, processing fees, fraud, chargebacks, rewards programs, and the ability of businesses to pass fees on to customers. Several witnesses argued that swipe fees have risen sharply, are especially burdensome for restaurants and other small businesses, and are charged on taxes and tips that are merely pass-through amounts. They urged state action to prohibit fees on tax and tip portions, improve transparency, and allow surcharging or convenience fees, while opponents warned that state regulation could reduce fraud protections, increase compliance costs, and threaten consumer rewards programs. Business owners and trade groups described thin margins, rising costs, and the difficulty of understanding merchant statements or negotiating with processors. Restaurant witnesses said card-not-present and online transactions create the greatest fraud and chargeback risk, with money often removed immediately from merchants’ accounts and disputes rarely resolved in their favor. Retail witnesses gave examples of rising effective rates, higher fees on rewards cards, and the burden of processing fees on low-value transactions. A representative from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and others said restaurants are effectively paying fees on meals tax and gratuities, which they argued should not be subject to interchange charges. On the other side, the Cooperative Credit Union Association said interchange revenue helps credit unions fund fraud prevention, rapid card replacement, and member protections, and warned that state limits on interchange could weaken those safeguards and lead to higher consumer costs or reduced services. Airlines for America testified that airline credit card rewards are popular, support travel and jobs in Massachusetts, and could be harmed by interchange reform. The National Restaurant Association and a payments-policy attorney countered that interchange fees are set by card networks rather than competitive markets, that banks remain highly profitable even with rewards, and that states can act after recent court decisions. No votes were taken; the hearing consisted of testimony and questions from commissioners.

Transcript Highlights:

• Low-income people were actually given these color-coded coupons, and they would have to purchase them
• First of all, they established national uniform eligibility and benefit standards, which is unusual for
• First of all, they established national uniform eligibility and benefit standards, which is unusual for

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on food systems and food security, with no public testimony. The first panel focused on household food security and data. Marie Spiker of the University of Washington explained what food insecurity means, its health impacts, and the importance of reliable measurement, warning that the federal Census food security data is being terminated and that there is no true replacement. She described Washington’s WaFOOD surveys as a useful complement, not a substitute, and noted that they show food insecurity affects households at a range of income levels. Katie Raines of WSDA described the state’s food systems work, the need for shared data and dashboards, and the role of agriculture in both food production and the hunger safety net. Committee members asked about the $2.2 million state food assistance allocation, the scale of the SNAP gap, and how household size, housing costs, and other factors intersect with food insecurity. The committee then heard from Tracy Roof of the University of Richmond on the history of SNAP and its relationship to agriculture. She traced the program from Depression-era commodity distribution through the modern farm bill, emphasizing that food assistance has long functioned both as anti-hunger policy and as an agricultural and economic stabilizer. She highlighted how SNAP expands during recessions, supports retailers and farmers, and has become more important since the Great Recession because participation stayed high even as the economy recovered. Roof also noted that Washington has relatively high SNAP participation and low payment error rates, but that recent federal changes could reduce eligibility and shift more costs to states. Members asked how Washington compares to other states and why the program is structured as it is. A later panel featured the Washington State Food Policy Forum and a joint systems presentation from the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Retail Association, and Washington Food Industry Association. The Food Policy Forum described its consensus-based recommendations on food insecurity, climate and water, regional food infrastructure, farmland protection, and farm viability, including more support for producer purchasing, water planning, and farmland conservation. The industry groups presented a systems map showing how agriculture, processing, retail, and transportation are interconnected, and argued that rising costs, regulations, labor and fuel expenses, retail theft, and thin margins make it harder to keep farms and stores viable. They said food security depends on store viability and local agricultural profitability, and promised to provide a more detailed list of policy recommendations. The final panel included state agency staff from DSHS, DOH, and WSDA. Bryce Montgomery said the Basic Food program serves about 920,000 Washingtonians monthly and warned that H.R. 1 could require Washington to pay up to 15% of SNAP benefits, broaden work requirements, and restrict immigrant eligibility. Karen Mullen described DOH nutrition programs, including WIC, farmers market nutrition benefits, fruit and vegetable incentives, and a fruit-and-vegetable prescription program, while noting funding instability and the end of SNAP-Ed. WSDA’s Katie Raines began describing ongoing food assistance and farmer support challenges, including farmer mental health and the need to address food insecurity across both producers and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• construction, or consolidation. construction, or consolidation.
• The<00:28:41.480> code<00:28:41.760> of The code of The code of conduct<00:28:43.200>
• of ethics or a code of conduct.
• of ethics or a code of conduct.
• Ethics or a code of conduct.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's 3.5 that is completely new outside of what is required by the education code.
• Highway construction costs have increased 62 percent. since December of 2020.
• In the last 12 months alone, highway construction costs have increased 9.5%. 5%.
• Since 2020, the construction industry and TxDOT have experienced daily challenges. is with the construction
• How many EV stations have been or are in the process of being constructed?

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission on Uniform State Laws.
• Commission on Uniform State Laws.
• Commission on Uniform State Laws.
• Chuck Mooney is New Hampshire's representative on the Uniform Commission on Uniform State Laws.
• Like all uniform acts, the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act has gone through a multi-year process with

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Enan and Austin Chamber BP State and Federal Relations, Travis Krogman will provide remarks on construction
• Additionally, permitting reform and design-built procurement strategies can reduce construction times
• Before we open it up to questions, I'm pleased to invite today's guest speakers, Austin Construction
• are the, um, Some of the improvements that we can make is policies, uh, with regards to resilience code
• QR code here as well. 1. So next question. So, Last call. OK.

Transcript Highlights:

• The current system of construction and maintenance is simply not viable.
• <00:52:35.680> and various aspects of con constructing and various aspects of con constructing
• The Supreme Court highway construction.
• , or what constitutes proper construction, or what constitutes proper construction, reconstruction
• low credit score living in zip code low credit score living in zip code 55106,<01:57:29.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 327 will put in code the public advocate's authority to discover information and review investor-owned
• One hydrogen production project alone in Lancaster, called Element, is creating 1,200 union construction
• Jeremy Smith here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
• worked with them on amendments that require standards for this UL standard, the California Electric Code
• , which is very important to the unions, as well as the National Electric Code.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They must be two-sided and uniform for all MCOs and include a settle-up process that occurs within six
• <00:15:40.280> be<00:15:40.400> two-sided<00:15:41.120> and<00:15:41.320> uniform
• <00:15:41.880> for They must be two-sided and uniform for They must be two-sided and uniform
• you an idea of what the state access really looks like, I provided a heat map so you can see the zip codes
• The zip codes that are represented by the patients that our clinic has served.

Bills: HF4712, HF4801, HF3756, HF4860, HF4931, HF4289, HF4460

Keywords: residential pools, swimming classes, certification, private business, health safety, health care, prior authorization, managed care, medical assistance, mental health, substance use treatment, chronic conditions, health insurance, insulin, healthcare access, pharmacy regulations, patient assistance, affordable medication, healthcare, pharmacy

Summary: The committee met at 1:00 p.m., confirmed a quorum, and approved the April 8, 2026 minutes. The first bill heard was House File 4712, which was laid over after the committee adopted a DE2 amendment. Representative Schultz said the bill would create a narrow additional exception to public pool limitations so highly certified swimming instructors could use certain pools for specialized infant, youth, and developmental-disability swim instruction. The only testifier, Tessa Seppelt, described ISR instruction as water-safety and drowning-prevention training for very young children and children with developmental delays, and said access to appropriate facilities is the main barrier. Members raised questions about emergency egress, public safety, and insurance coverage, and the author said he would follow up on those concerns. The committee then took up House File 4801, a bill by Representative Nadeau aimed at health care program integrity. He said it would align commercial and Medicaid partners to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse by changing prior authorization and retrospective review processes, improving data sharing on suspected fraud, addressing conflicting or duplicative services, allowing managed care organizations to verify provider credentials, and making risk corridors in MCO contracts permanent. The Minnesota Council of Health Plans supported the bill, saying it would help detect fraud and improve coordination, while the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed it, arguing that expanded prior authorization would delay care, increase physician burden, and harm children with chronic conditions. Members debated patient safety, fraud detection, and whether the bill would undermine recent prior-authorization reforms. The bill was laid over. House File 3756, a technical update to the insulin safety net program, was also laid over. Representative Backer said the bill clarifies that a hospital-use intravenous insulin product is not part of the program because it is sold only to health care institutions and infused by practitioners, not dispensed to patients for self-use. The Board of Pharmacy testified that the language was drafted to avoid affecting future legitimate uses, and members asked whether the definition could limit new uses if treatments change. The committee then began House File 4860, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s presentation is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the battery project has to be compliant with the county fire code? Yes.
• County fire code. Yes.
• and construction, is going to take, let's say, three years to construct.
• And then…” “Construction is going to take, let's say, three years to construct, and then the utility's
• CAOC is one way, contribution and aid of construction is another.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are builders, there are construction, there are contractors.
• Construction, what does that look like? Resale, what does that look like?
• Increasing inventory and private construction are key.
• The community itself typically will not have building codes.
• You have to have approval and be certified to do that construction.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the students of UTEP have voted and supported the construction of a new student union building.
• The Education Code 38.004 mandates schools adopt... Policies addressing sexual abuse.
• Though the bill currently points to a code that's very dispersed, your language in the education code
• We've also worked over the years on that Teacher Code of Ethics. So yes, we absolutely, you know.
• Can you provide the Teacher Code of...? ...ethics to the committee for us because I'm not...

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um he has a Code Co-ops and Munis.
• NEC for consideration in their next code NEC for consideration in their next code review.<00:48:
• ,<00:59:56.720> including new business construction, including new business construction,
• <01:34:22.680> Uh<01:34:23.040> I financing cost, construction cost.
• Uh I financing cost, construction cost.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Bills: HB3834, HB3940, HB4346, HB2947, HB3257, HB3264, HB4326, HB4421, HB3944, HB3979, HB4118, SCR22, SB169, HB1047, HB2123, HB2650, HB3260, HB3403, SR41, HB3649, HB3742, HB3831, HB3996, HB4321, HB4339

Keywords: HB3834, Oklahoma Breakthrough Therapy Act, ibogaine, ibogaine-based therapeutics, ibogaine analogs, clinical trials, FDA approval, breakthrough therapy designation, opioid use disorder, substance use disorder, traumatic brain injury, mental health, neurological disorders, drug development, public-private partnership, State Department of Health, intellectual property, revolving fund, research funding, medical licensing

Bills: SB2908, SB2671, SB3085, SB2907, SB2353, SB2074, SB2360, SB2057, SB3251, SB2354, SB3001

Keywords: permit processing, permitting reform, county permits, development permits, building permits, land use, construction delays, housing development, infrastructure development, county workforce, differential pay, salary incentive, performance bonus, recruitment and retention, expedited hiring, vacancy rates, permit backlog, government modernization, county mayor, county council

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several Senate bills, with most measures drawing broad support and a few generating significant opposition or policy questions. SB 2908 SD1 and SB 2671 SD1 were taken up first; both appeared to have majority support, with SB 2908 receiving seven in support, one in opposition, and one comment, and SB 2671 receiving five in support and two comments. SB 3085 SD2, related to film industry operations, drew 11 supporters and no opposition. Georgia Skinner explained that the bill would streamline the approval timeline for productions by reducing delays tied to Land Board review, and she said DLNR supported the effort. Committee members asked about the need for the change and the relationship between the film studio, DLNR, and the approval process. The committee then discussed SB 2907 SD1, which would create an Office of Marine Affairs. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DLNR, HTDC, the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, ocean industry representatives, and others. The governor’s office supported the bill’s intent but objected to placing the office within the Office of the Governor, urging instead that it be housed at HTDC. HTDC said it was willing and excited to take on the work and described ongoing stakeholder engagement. Members asked about the rationale for the placement and the long-term structure of the office. SB 2353 SD2, concerning the Aloha Stadium district and billboard/naming-rights issues, drew strong opposition overall, with four in support, 23 in opposition, and one comment. Andrew Pereira of the Stadium Authority argued the measure could generate revenue to help maintain and operate the stadium and said the district would remain self-contained; he also emphasized that the development would respect the character of the area. The committee then heard SB 2074 SD1, which had five in support and 26 in opposition; only one support testimony from the Carpenters was heard before the discussion moved on. Finally, SB 2360 SD1, an enterprise zones measure, received 14 supportive testimonies and two comments. Testimony focused on updating the program for modern business models, especially e-commerce and direct-to-consumer sales, while committee members questioned whether the program overlaps with higher tax burdens and whether businesses receiving subsidies should be monitored for job retention after graduation from the program.

Bills: HF1855, HF102, HF1082, HF1354, HF2184, HF1792, HF2296, HF2429, HF2543, HF2566

Keywords: veterans, benefit services, accreditation, consumer protection, civil penalties, disclosure requirements, HF102, Sibley County Road 166, Freedom Drive, Arlington, Sibley County, Minnesota transportation bonds, bonding bill, capital investment, road extension, highway access, intersection improvements, right-of-way acquisition, water main, sewer improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• witnessed: several attempts by masked ICE agents attempting to take their family members off the construction
• In the next few years and beyond, I commend all persons that wear the uniform.
• So inside that, last year, I received a document that gave the hospital codes, whatever you call it,
• And so I want to thank Representative Jones for bringing it up, because I had looked up the codes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sustained demand for construction across commercial, industrial, and infrastructure sectors.
• Fewer jobs, fewer construction opportunities, and lost economic momentum.
• My name is Stephanie Maez, and I'm representing the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council
• However, to land the next generation of high-paying jobs, we must modernize our tax code to match how
• Construction workers are coming in.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be construed as quote, in addition to this, the essential health benefits within the meaning of 45 Code
• <00:23:45.919> meaning<00:23:46.159> of<00:23:46.320> 45<00:23:47.120> code
• benefits within the meaning of 45 code benefits within the meaning of 45 code of<00:23:47.440>
• please proceed: I support the intent and believed in the same concept that there should be no construction
• and use of a landfill over construction and use of a landfill over an an an aquifer<00:30:08.760>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They just kind of tap in some code words and then it says deny or don't deny.

Bills: SB1983, SB444, SB1503, SB1561, SB592, SB1501, SB1946, SB1567, SB1833, SB2026, SB904, SB2178, SB1651, SB1558, SB1565, SB1553, SB1257, SB65, SB1749, SB1242, SB1642, SB640, SB667, SB1436, SB1484, SB1562, SB1794, SB1644, SB1533, SB933, SB1555

Keywords: SB1983, foster care, resource family partner, resource family partners, Department of Human Services, DHS, child welfare, foster homes, foster children, placement data, data sharing, de-identified data, aggregated data, sibling groups, placement disruptions, foster parent recruitment, foster parent retention, private child-placing agency, Title 10A, Oklahoma