Transcript Highlights:

• I also presented at a local and state level, um, state level conferences on addressing implicit bias
• Chapter 49 of the Code of Criminal Procedure relates to death inquests and Chapter 50 of the Code of
• The Code of Chrome procedure project is an interesting one. For decades, the code needed updating.
• correct enacted codes to conform the codes to the source law from which they were deprived, and to revise
• codes or parts of codes enacted during the preceding legislative session to incorporate enactments of

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• Thanks, State.
• And that approved stock plan is good for that period of time that the building code is in effect, so
• challenge for the building code, in particular energy codes.
• Those new codes get adopted every three years with state amendments, and we have heard from developers
• It's an incredible asset that our state has that a lot of states do not have.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard presentations on a range of housing finance, permitting, and affordability tools. Chattanooga described its affordable housing PILOT program, which uses a per-unit property tax abatement tied to the rent loss from providing affordable units, with a 15-year term and annual compliance monitoring. Committee members asked about the program’s structure, whether it had been used elsewhere, and who was participating; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would bring 278 units with 42 affordable units and that the model was attracting private market-rate developers. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary zoning approach, emphasizing that longer tax exemption periods and station-area zoning changes had helped spur development, with most current pipeline projects concentrated near light rail stations. The committee also heard from the Municipal Research Services Center and the Department of Commerce on tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and permit timelines. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, while proportional impact fee guidance is intended to help jurisdictions charge fees more closely aligned with actual project impacts. On permit timelines, Commerce presented its first annual report under recent law changes, using 2024 as a baseline year and noting that reported timelines were generally longer than statutory goals; members asked about outliers, paper versus electronic processing, and whether back-and-forth between applicants and staff was driving delays. Commerce said it would follow up with more data, including on CHIP funding and permit reform practices. Several local governments then shared permitting process improvements. Auburn reported relatively short review cycles and described its move to fully electronic permitting, internal performance standards, and a stock plan program that speeds review for repeated home designs. Bellevue described an AI permitting pilot with a local startup to help with pre-application questions, document triage, and plan review, aiming to reduce incomplete applications and revision cycles. Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would help homeowners split lots, finance, build, and manage ADUs, with the homeowner eventually buying out the partner and retaining ownership; committee members asked about rent setting, management fees, and default risk, and staff said they would follow up. The committee also heard brief overviews of community land trusts and limited equity cooperatives as permanent affordability models, with presenters urging continued state and local funding support and policy recognition for these approaches.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. ...state agencies.
• How does it align with recent state requirements?
• How do we back it up enough to make sure that we're compliant and making the legacy code or the new codes
• APA Washington has about 1,400 members across the state.
• Over two dozen cities in the state have already adopted design departures in their codes.

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee held a work session to review implementation of recent housing, planning, and climate-related laws. Department of Commerce staff outlined the 2023 climate planning requirements under the Growth Management Act, including the climate resiliency sub-element for all jurisdictions and greenhouse gas reduction requirements for larger ones. They described Commerce’s guidance, the use of the University of Washington’s Resilient Washington tool and FEMA hazard mitigation resources, attention to overburdened communities through the Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities Map, and the climate policy explorer. Members asked about specific climate impacts, flood mapping, evacuation language access, and how environmental justice and local stakeholder input are incorporated. Commerce also said climate planning grants are being drawn down from Climate Commitment Act funding and should be sufficient through the 2029 deadline for remaining Puget Sound jurisdictions. Local government witnesses described their comprehensive plan updates and implementation challenges. Pierce County said its adopted plan was a major multi-year effort that retracted some urban growth area acreage, concentrated growth near transit, expanded middle housing and streamlined permitting, and created capacity for far more housing than its 32,000-unit growth target. County staff emphasized the difficulty of balancing rural protection, urban growth, transportation constraints, climate goals, and limited transit funding, and asked for more technical assistance. Redmond said its update leveraged light rail investments, added transit-oriented development, middle housing, planned actions, and climate resilience policies, but also required costly mid-course corrections from changing state laws and agency guidance. Redmond urged more regulatory stability, clearer statutes, and streamlined certification and accountability processes. Snohomish County said it is now in early implementation, focusing on translating adopted policy into regulations, aligning with new state housing and parking laws, and coordinating across departments and with cities; it stressed the need for clearer comp plan language, realistic timelines, and more staffing and coordination support. The committee also heard from the Washington chapter of the American Planning Association about inconsistencies in recent planning laws. APA identified three issues: the use of the undefined term “guidelines” in the design review statute, the use of “variance” in a middle housing/design review context where APA said “departure” would better fit the intended flexibility, and the lack of a cross-reference or definition for “administrative design review” in the subdivision statute. APA said these ambiguities can create confusion and delay in permit processing and offered to work with the legislature on technical fixes. Senators asked whether local codes already use “departure” and whether the proposed changes would conflict with current law; APA responded that many cities already use departure provisions and that the goal is to align the RCW with existing planning practice. The meeting ended without any votes or formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• City council.
• Um, Our state is the Texas miracle. We are a business-friendly state.
• Uh, we are appointed by city council, and, uh, you cannot go to city council for a final verdict.
• Most boards and commissions in cities are are recommendation council to council committee to council
• That is set up on the state under the state water plan and the Texas Water Development Board.

Bills: HB24

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• that come into states and build huge developments of low-income housing.
• , and to the State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2007.
• State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2007.
• of Bud Tracy to the State Building Authority, term to expire January 1, 2013.
• Christensen, appointed to the State Building Authority, term to expire January 1, 2013.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code regulations or state building code regulations?
• we compare them with some of our local/state building codes that it's a little unbalanced?
• of building codes, were found.
• we compare them with some of our local/state building codes that it's a little unbalanced?
• it's</c><00:15:40.800><c> a</c> local/state building codes that it's a local/state building codes that

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Northern Kentucky building industry representatives Brian Miller and Matt Mains on housing affordability and construction workforce issues. They argued that regulatory and code requirements add significant cost to new homes, citing an estimate of nearly $94,000 per home nationally and $15,000 to $20,000 per home in Boone County over the past decade. They recommended reforms to building code adoption, architectural design mandates, permit fees and delays, and setback/land dedication rules, saying these changes could reduce costs by $25,000 to $35,000 per home without affecting public safety. They also discussed workforce training efforts through the Enzwe Building Institute, dual-credit programs, apprenticeship incentives, and workforce grants, saying these efforts have helped hold wage growth below regional trends and improve housing affordability. Committee members asked about the breakdown of regulatory costs, the effect of energy codes, and ways to speed up permitting. The presenters said the costs were roughly split among federal, state, and local requirements, with local regulations adding about $25,000 to $35,000 and some energy-code changes adding about $19,000 per home. They said faster plan review, coordination with the Kentucky Division of Water, and addressing municipal staffing shortages could cut 30 to 45 days from approvals. Members also discussed the difficulty of building starter homes under about $350,000 and the need for more missing-middle housing, with the presenters saying such homes are hard to produce without sacrificing quality. The committee then took up Representative Kim Moer and Dr. Dale Bertram’s discussion of marriage and family therapist licensing and healthcare workforce data reporting. They explained that the bill would allow Kentucky to recognize out-of-state marriage and family therapists who meet licensure requirements, have no disciplinary history, and have passed the national exam, in order to reduce barriers and address provider shortages, especially in rural areas. They also described a separate workforce data reporting section that would require licensure boards to collect consistent information on where licensees practice and whether they are actively seeing patients, including through telehealth, so the state can better understand its healthcare workforce. Members supported the portability idea, noted that some qualified applicants are currently working in Indiana instead of Kentucky, and asked whether the data collection could be handled administratively; the sponsors said the bill would create consistency across boards. The committee also briefly discussed occupational board updates and the need for stronger communication between legislators and licensing boards, including architecture licensure issues and efforts to recruit more professionals.

Transcript Highlights:

• state, so encourage.
• We, we all know how many schools in the state need to be addressed.
• You'll then notice uh a few other items stated with 2025 HP 450.
• We just wanted to make sure that the council had the opportunity.
• They don't see a lot of people doing color coding.

Transcript Highlights:

• So just starting with the interagency council on homelessness, the council has met monthly since January
• the state, as well as maintain a modern, state-of-the-art training center.
• Our goal is to build and support a highly qualified team around the state, as well as maintain a modern
• And because we're a rural state, we have the same issues as other rural states do.
• Legislative Council.

Committee: Joint Human Services Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then received an update from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency on the interagency council on homelessness and continuum of care funding. Testimony described rising homelessness tied to tight housing markets, low incomes, aging homelessness, barriers to rental assistance and public benefits, and limited shelter and case-management capacity. Members discussed the need for more affordable housing, continued one-time funding for the North Dakota Homeless Grant and Housing Incentive Fund, better coordination with Health and Human Services on economic assistance and human service zones, landlord engagement, recovery housing, and reentry housing. The committee also heard that federal continuum of care funding remains uncertain, with possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing and housing-first models; members asked for a future update on the impact if federal rules reduce the share available for permanent housing. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described current screening and service delivery, including infant referrals, regional staff, short-term programs, and collaboration with vocational rehabilitation. He said the targeted screening system is working, recommended maintaining the current model, and noted ongoing challenges with staffing, public awareness, and accessible state websites and documents. Public testimony from a visually impaired resident and a deaf resident emphasized barriers such as CAPTCHAs, inaccessible PDFs, employment forms that screen out applicants based on driver’s license status, shortages of interpreters, and the need for video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training for users and agencies. Finally, the committee heard a final report on the study of child care provider licensing from HHS Early Childhood Director Kay Larson. The report summarized provider input and committee discussion on simplifying North Dakota’s child care licensing structure, reducing administrative burden, and balancing that with health and safety standards. Key topics included licensing categories, child care assistance eligibility, food program sponsorship, staff qualifications, training requirements, ratios and group size, age bands, and preschool exemptions. The committee’s recommendations included streamlining to three provider types plus a preschool designation, revising ratio and age-band rules, and carrying forward certain preschool outdoor-space exemptions. Larson noted that any changes would require statutory changes, rulemaking, and a transition period before new licensing rules could take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a council. Appreciate it. Which is not a board, it's a council.
• Council, which is the council that develops the actual codes.
• So we continuously work with the International Code Council and with the building officials to do the
• They did recently in the last month here stating that 88% of respondents did state that they would hire
• Stating that 88% of respondents did state that they would hire an audiology assistant, and on average

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five California regulatory entities: the Respiratory Care Board, the California Council for Interior Design Certification, the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, the Board of Occupational Therapy, and the Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Each agency described its mission, recent modernization or enforcement work, and requested continuation of its authority. Committee members focused on access to care, workforce impacts, fee structures, transparency, and whether proposed changes would improve public protection without creating unnecessary barriers. For the Respiratory Care Board, the main issues were a possible move from an associate to a bachelor’s degree for entry-level licensure, fee cleanup changes, and ongoing work on the role of LVNs in respiratory tasks. Board representatives said the degree change would better align with national trends and could support future reimbursement and professional advancement, while public commenters and some legislators warned it could worsen shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas. Much of the public testimony centered on families and facilities relying on LVNs for trach and ventilator care in congregate living health facilities, with requests to preserve or expand exemptions. The board also discussed its reserve cap and efforts to modernize licensing and enforcement systems. The interior design item drew the most debate. CCIDC leaders argued the current voluntary certification/title-act model works, that complaints have not shown public harm, and that licensure would disrupt the workforce and create barriers for experienced designers. Committee members questioned the lack of enforcement authority, transparency, and whether the model provides enough accountability or consistent plan acceptance by local jurisdictions. Public testimony was split between supporters who said the current system is flexible and effective, and critics who said the private structure lacks accountability and creates confusion, especially for commercial work and plan check acceptance. The Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board reported major modernization gains, including online licensure processing, faster application times, new continuing education audits, and updated supervision and advertising rules. Members and stakeholders discussed a proposed audiology assistant license, which the board and the California Academy of Audiology supported as a way to improve access to care and reduce workload pressures. The Occupational Therapy Board described strong enforcement and licensing performance, a new strategic plan, and a request for additional fee authority to address rising costs and reserve concerns; public testimony largely supported the board and a proposed reduction in advanced practice hand therapy training hours. The Naturopathic Medicine Board emphasized consumer protection, unlicensed practice enforcement, and consumer confusion over titles, saying most of its enforcement workload involves unlicensed activity and that stronger title protection and clearer statutory authority are needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, most of all, we want this great state of Texas to be all that it can be.
• Let all that is done here be according to your will on earth and the great state of Texas as it is in
• Join us as we pledge allegiance to the United States and the great state of Texas. to the flag of the
• One state, under God, one indivisible. God is good.
• My name, when I was one of the very few black staffers in this building, he always asked.

Bills: HR34 , HR36 , HR38 , HR39 , HR41 , HR42 , HR43 , HR67 , HR68 , HR73 , HR77 , HR81 , HR104 , HR166 , HR201 , HR202 , HR223 , HR226 , HR233 , HR234 , HR246 , HR264 , HR266 , HR268 , HR271 , HR280 , HR282 , HR286 , HR291 , HR292 , HR296 , HR298 , HR319 , HR326 , HR329 , HR348 , HR354 , HR373 , HR376 , HR381 , HR385 , HR386 , HR387 , HR391 , HR394 , HR395 , HR396 , HR399 , HR400 , HR402 , HR403 , HR404 , HR408 , HR409 , HR410 , HR413 , HR414 , HR417 , HR418 , HR419 , HR422 , HR424 , HR429 , HR435 , HR439 , HR440 , HR22 , HR88 , HR94 , HR136 , HR194 , HR231 , HR302 , HR397 , HR416 , HR420 , HR421 , HR423 , HR430 , HR431

Keywords: Ramadan, Islam, Muslim community, spiritual observance, cultural recognition, Eid al-Fitr, celebration, Texas legislation, Mother's Day, family, women, honor, Father's Day, gratefulness, recognition, Diwali, festival of lights, Hinduism, unity, Veterans Day

Transcript Highlights:

• , to provide that certain persons may be banned from the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court Building
• This bill was a situation where, 10 years ago, the post-council, the members of the council, had voted
• to add a position to the council.
• to add a position to the council.
• It's just putting it into code.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• buildings.
• And there's a lot of reason by analogy, both buried in state law and in local code, basically saying
• code.
• consistent with state law.
• state.

Summary: The Housing Committee held work sessions on federal Continuum of Care homelessness funding and on state step-housing siting rules before moving into public hearings on House Bill 2266 and House Bill 2489. Commerce staff said HUD’s late and restrictive Continuum of Care funding notice put about $120 million a year in Washington operating support for existing homeless housing projects at risk, but a lawsuit led by the Attorney General forced HUD to restart renewal funding. Commerce also reviewed how local governments are implementing step-housing requirements, including model ordinances, planning updates, and ongoing compliance reviews under recent state law. House Bill 2266 would require cities and counties to allow step housing in all nonindustrial zones, apply the same permitting and environmental review as other residential uses, limit design review to administrative processes, and remove certain local standards and conditions on existing buildings and affordable housing. Supporters, including Plymouth Housing, Disability Rights Washington, King County, the Attorney General’s Office, and Catholic Community Services, argued the bill would reduce discriminatory barriers, protect people with disabilities, and make it easier to site shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. Several city representatives and the Association of Washington Cities opposed or sought amendments, saying the bill was too broad and could limit local authority over operational agreements, safety plans, spacing, community engagement, and funding conditions; some asked for clearer carveouts for emergency shelters and related uses. House Bill 2489 would bar local governments from enforcing public-space anti-camping or similar laws unless adequate alternative shelter space is available, with “life-sustaining activities” and “adequate alternative shelter space” defined in detail. Rep. Gregerson said the bill would create a statewide floor and prevent punishment for survival conduct when no real shelter option exists. The ACLU, service providers, and shelter operators supported the bill, citing displacement from fragmented local ordinances, enforcement costs, and the need to align enforcement with actual shelter availability. Testimony also described low-barrier shelter operations and examples of people stabilizing once housed. The hearing on HB 2489 began with staff explanation and initial testimony; no votes were taken on either bill in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• As brief background, the state building code requires multifamily housing with one or more elevators
• Under the current version of the bill, the State Building Code Council must adopt standards for cities
• But unfortunately, Section 22 was then added directing the State Building Code Council and Department
• does research about building codes.
• It gives it over to the State Building Code Council to make those decisions and figure out how to implement

Summary: The committee heard three housing-related bills. SB 5937 would regulate smart access systems in rental housing by requiring landlords, on tenant request, to provide non-biometric and non-app-based alternatives such as physical keys, key fobs, or key cards, and by adding privacy-policy and data-minimization requirements for smart access systems. The bill’s sponsor and a tenant testified in support, describing concerns about app-based entry systems tracking movement and collecting personal data. The Washington Multifamily Housing Association testified neutral, saying the bill had been improved through stakeholder work and amendments that allowed privacy-policy links and delayed implementation until January 1, 2027. The hearing on the bill was closed with no vote taken. The committee then heard ESSB 5156, which directs the State Building Code Council to allow smaller elevators in apartment buildings up to six stories and 24 units and creates a technical advisory group to review certain elevator safety requirements. The sponsor and several supporters argued the bill would reduce elevator costs, improve feasibility for small multifamily and middle-housing projects, and increase accessibility and age-friendly housing. The National Elevator Industry opposed the bill’s harmonization language in Section 2, paragraph 2, warning it could create ambiguity, multiple standards, and litigation, but said it would be neutral if that language were removed. Other industry and housing advocates supported the measure as a way to lower costs and expand housing supply. No action was taken during the hearing. Finally, the committee heard SB 6237, which would require landlords to disclose flood risk information to tenants for leases entered into after December 31, 2026. The disclosure would note whether a property may be in a flood hazard area, where tenants can find county flood information, and that the landlord’s insurance does not cover tenants’ belongings. The Washington Multifamily Housing Association testified neutral, saying the bill had been narrowed to a more manageable disclosure and that removing a requirement to recommend flood insurance addressed concerns about landlords acting as insurance advisers. The hearing concluded without a vote, and the chair announced the committee would meet again the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• But they have much in code that drives these things for their states.
• Well, what Idaho has in fact, code that drives these things for their states.
• the federal government, that the state shall assert our state rights, our state law, if the federal government
• It's completely obsolete code.
• They set up a council to do a bunch of studies and set up a plan for the state for Big Payette Lake,

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the journal, then received several Senate messages and committee reports. A number of bills were introduced or advanced, including measures on health care, elections, schools, water districts, crime victims, and animal protection, along with several resolutions and memorials. The House also took up a constitutional resolution on parental rights in education, but House Joint Resolution 9 failed because it did not receive the required two-thirds vote, finishing at 44 ayes and 25 nays. The chamber then considered and passed several bills on third reading. House Bill 585 would impose a 48-hour deadline for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections and allow refunds and third-party inspections if the deadline is missed; members disclosed Rule 80 conflicts because of permit-related businesses, and the bill passed 69-1. House Bill 736 lowered the voter threshold for ballot rotation requirements to expand rotation to more elections and passed 68-1. House Bill 626 changed county impact-fee language from “may” to “shall,” House Bill 749 addressed annexation-related septic system costs, House Bill 650 affirmed federalism principles, House Bill 788 created a pilot incentive for medical preceptors, House Bill 738 added an LLC filing option using a commercial registered agent address, House Bill 685 added a sentencing enhancement for crimes committed while masked, House Bill 696 updated prison sexual-contact language, House Bill 686 created a narrow nepotism exception for small towns, House Bill 670 clarified urban renewal/fire district opt-out rules, House Bill 734 fixed a wind/geothermal tax distribution formula, and House Bill 570 increased penalties for reckless driving in active construction zones. Most of these bills passed with comfortable majorities, though House Bill 685 passed narrowly at 38-31 and House Bill 570 passed 68-1. Later, the House passed House Bill 561 on flag displays by government entities, despite debate that it was aimed at restricting certain local flags; it passed 58-11. The House also passed House Bill 692 on foster-care court proceedings and House Bill 575 on centralized civil asset forfeiture reporting, both after debate about transparency and court procedure. Additional bills passed included House Bill 562, extending the notice period for insurance nonrenewals to 60 days; House Bill 810, setting residency requirements for legislative candidates with exemptions for military service and missions; House Bill 593, repealing obsolete waste-management and Big Payette Lake provisions; House Bill 714, updating hazardous waste siting law; and House Bill 507, revising Idaho National Guard military justice procedures to restore non-judicial punishment authority. The House recessed and later returned to continue business, with several bills transmitted to the Senate after passage and no title corrections on the measures considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• building code.
• This bill requires the State Building Code Council to convene a technical advisory group for the purpose
• updates in the first substantive building code update occurring after January 1, 2027.
• ...building code council to convene a technical advisory group for the purpose of recommending amendments
• substantive building code update occurring after January 1, 2027.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard several housing-related bills and gubernatorial appointments. SB 6201 would create property tax and REET exemptions for property used as affordable housing by social housing agencies, with testimony from the sponsor and supporters from Seattle Social Housing and House Our Neighbors emphasizing lower development costs and deeper affordability. Senator Gildon questioned how the 50% occupancy requirement would work at purchase, and staff explained the covenant and compliance requirements. The committee also heard SB 6205, which would add conflict-of-interest restrictions and reporting requirements for the Community Reinvestment Account, Affordable Housing Program, and Covenant Homeownership Program; Senator Braun said the bill responds to reports of misuse and is intended to improve transparency and trust. The committee heard gubernatorial appointments Pedro Espinoza and Diana H. Perez to the Housing Finance Commission, both of whom described their construction, local government, and housing experience and were supported by committee members. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute and passed SB 6001 on scissors stairs, SB 6026 on allowing residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, and SB 6054 on fire-hardened building materials. SB 6026 drew the most debate, with amendments added and others rejected; supporters said it would expand housing supply, while opponents and local governments raised concerns about historic districts, main street areas, and limits on local planning authority. SB 6054 was amended to remove the 10% cap on fire-hardened materials, with members saying it would help homeowners protect against wildfire risk. The committee then moved to public hearings on SB 6069, which would require cities and counties to allow emergency shelters, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing in more zones and limit local restrictions to objective standards and administrative review. Supporters, including housing providers, the Attorney General’s Office, King County, and Disability Rights Washington, said local barriers are delaying needed housing, while cities and the Association of Washington Cities argued the bill is too broad and would limit operational agreements and local flexibility. The committee also heard SB 6167, which would bar homebuyers from receiving multiple state-funded down payment assistance loans or grants. The sponsor said the bill is meant to maximize limited assistance dollars for more households, but opponents from housing nonprofits, advocates, and a homeless veteran said it would reduce access to homeownership, especially for Black households and families needing layered assistance in high-cost markets. Finally, the committee returned to SB 6205 testimony, where supporters said the bill would prevent self-dealing and misuse of grant funds, while one testifier urged more investigation and oversight resources. No final action was taken on the public hearing bills during the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a council. Appreciate it. Which is not a board, it's a council.
• Council, which develops the actual codes.
• So we continuously work with the International Code Council and with the building officials to do the
• They did recently, in the last month here, stating that 88% of respondents did state that they would
• Stating that 88% of respondents did state that they would hire an audiology assistant, and on average

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate business committees held a sunset review hearing for five California regulatory entities: the Respiratory Care Board, the California Council for Interior Design Certification, the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, the Board of Occupational Therapy, and the Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Each board or council described its licensing, enforcement, modernization, and consumer-protection work since the last review, and committee members focused on workforce access, transparency, fee authority, and whether current regulatory structures are appropriately tailored to public safety. For the Respiratory Care Board, the main issue was a proposal to move toward a bachelor’s degree requirement for licensure. Board representatives said the change would better align education with the complexity of care and could help the profession’s long-term status and reimbursement prospects, but Assembly Member Addis and others raised concerns about rural access, staffing shortages, and added barriers to entry. Public commenters, including respiratory therapists, families, and congregate living health facility operators, strongly opposed the degree mandate and urged continued use of LVNs for certain respiratory tasks in community settings. The board also discussed its ongoing work on LVN respiratory care issues, updated suctioning guidance, digitized licensing and enforcement systems, and fee cleanup language. The interior design item drew the most debate. CCIDC leaders defended the current title-act certification model, arguing it establishes competency without evidence of public harm and avoids the disruption a full licensure system could cause. Several committee members questioned the lack of enforcement authority, the private nonprofit structure, Bagley-Keene compliance, and whether certification meaningfully improves plan acceptance or public safety. Public testimony was split: supporters said the system works and preserves flexibility, while opponents argued the model lacks accountability, creates confusion, and does not reliably prevent plan-check denials or protect the public. The speech-language pathology/audiology board reported major modernization gains, including a new online licensure system, faster processing, continuing education audits, and updated supervision and advertising rules; it also received support for creating a new audiology assistant license category, while a consumer group urged more public members, proactive inspections, and faster discipline. The occupational therapy board reported growth, improved enforcement and licensing performance, and a need for additional fee authority to address rising costs, while public testimony supported reducing advanced practice hand therapy training hours. The final naturopathic medicine item began at the end of the transcript, but no substantive discussion was captured before the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last measure on yesterday's agenda was Senate Bill 2339 relating to the state building code council.
• The recommendation was to add two labor members to the building code council in conjunction with the
• </c><00:31:43.200><c> Uh</c><00:31:43.600><c> the</c> building code council.
• Uh the building code council.
• code council in members to the building code council in conjunction<00:31:51.840><c> with</c><00:31:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several public safety and emergency-related measures. SB 3192, on emergency healthcare license waivers, drew support from nursing and healthcare advocates who said automatic emergency licensure during a governor-declared emergency would help avoid delays in bringing qualified clinicians to disaster areas, citing the Lahaina wildfire response. The committee reported 13 supportive testimonies, none in opposition, and one comment. It later recommended passage of SB 3192 with technical non-substantive amendments and a defective effective date, and the recommendation was adopted by vote. SB 2121, requiring ASL interpretation and visible picture-in-picture display during official emergency announcements, received supportive testimony from the Disability and Communications Access Board and the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters. DAP demonstrated why captions alone are not sufficient and why an interpreter on screen improves effective communication. Broadcasters supported the bill’s intent but raised practical concerns about implementation and staffing, suggesting amendments. SB 3239, which would appropriate funds to HMA for bilingual resources and services for residents with limited English proficiency, was supported by legal aid and immigrant-rights advocates who emphasized the need for language access during disasters and noted the large LEP population in Hawaii. After discussion, the chair proposed folding the sign-language and multilingual access concepts into SB 21109, a broader emergency preparedness communications bill, and the committee deferred SB 2121 and SB 3239. The committee also heard SB 2645 on fire prevention and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The fire marshal supported the bill’s provisions to modernize the office, create cross-certified assistant fire marshals, shift inspections to a risk-based schedule, establish the state fire code as the baseline, and create a special fund, but DLNR opposed the section changing the marshal selection process from a council-based appointment to gubernatorial appointment. The chair ultimately recommended passage of the proposed SD2 with blank appropriation amounts and committee-report concerns, and the recommendation was adopted. The committee then passed SB 21109 with amendments, incorporating the deferred sign-language and language-access ideas into the broader emergency communications framework. It also later took up measures from the prior day’s agenda, passing SB 2882, SB 3191, and SB 2339 with amendments, including changes to the state buildings, water safety/drowning prevention, and building code council measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• versus prescriptive-based building code.
• And we were learning about performance-based building code versus prescriptive-based building code, which
• Jeremy Smith, here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
• Fullstack's partnership with the State Building Trades Council and California includes all of the construction
• building code to preempt local codes for FBH or writ large to minimize local variations that can make

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on housing construction innovation, focusing on factory-built and modular housing as a way to lower costs, speed delivery, and expand housing supply. The chair framed the effort as a search for practical innovation paired with land use, financing, and regulatory changes that could make housing more affordable for working families. Government witnesses from HCD, the Strategic Growth Council, and the tax credit and bond allocation agencies explained how factory-built housing is regulated, how California standards and third-party approvals work, and how state programs are trying to build regional demand and financing pipelines for modular production. Testimony from investors and developers emphasized both the promise and the risks of modular construction. JP Morgan Chase and the Housing Accelerator Fund described projects that achieved meaningful time and cost savings, but said lenders still see elevated risk because of manufacturer solvency, upfront deposits, transportation and installation issues, and the need for standardized designs and experienced teams. They urged more standardization, more local factories, better alignment between financing timelines and construction schedules, and state support such as backstops, top-loss capital, and scoring preferences in tax credit and bond programs. Several speakers noted that recent federal changes to the 4% tax credit program increased production capacity, but warned that without continued state investment the pipeline could face a future funding cliff. The workforce panel, including union contractors, factory supervisors, and labor representatives, said modular construction can support good jobs if it is paired with union labor, training, and fair standards. They described benefits for workers such as steadier schedules, less commuting, improved safety, and better work-life balance, while also stressing the need for wages, health coverage, retirement benefits, and apprenticeship opportunities. Union representatives supported a model that keeps both factory and on-site work unionized and said the industry could create more jobs overall if California builds more factories and develops a stable, long-term demand pipeline. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Lignite Research Council was established in 1987, and the language in the Century Code needs to be
• Dickinson State is $406 and Minot State is $406.
• But when we put the language in of the prohibition before, that said the state injury council may not
• But when we put the language in of the prohibition before that said the state injury council may not
• conduct of the prohibition before that said the state injury council may not conduct research or pursue

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then approved journal corrections and recognized visiting students from Underwood School. The chamber also handled several conference committee appointments after failing to concur with Senate amendments on House bills 1022, 1049, 1229, and 1029, and after the Senate failed to concur on House amendments to Senate bills 2010 and 2113. The House then concurred in or passed a series of amended measures, including House Bills 1481 (dental insurance loss ratio and reporting), 1511 (physician guidance on abortion law, with an emergency clause), 1562 (mandated reporter training), 1197 (correctional facilities study), 1095 (child protective services liaison work group), 1317 (barber licensing board changes), 1549 (corrections facility grants and reentry-related provisions), 1354 (appraiser evaluations), 1374 (open meeting exemption for township supervisors during on-site inspections), 1355 (abbreviated notice for administrative rulemaking), 1025 (advanced nuclear energy study), 1470 (Game and Fish fee changes), 1592 (Lignite Research Council updates), and 1375 (alcohol service/photo ID provisions). Final passage votes were recorded on each bill, with most passing comfortably and some drawing notable opposition, especially HB 1470 and HB 1549. The House spent substantial time on Senate Bill 2011, the Highway Patrol appropriation. Members discussed shifting one-time funding from the general fund to the Electronic Motor Carrier Permit Fund, including body armor, preliminary breath tests, an emergency vehicle course, resurfacing, fleet costs, and handgun/taser replacement, while also noting a federal grant and no new FTEs. Questions focused on salary-line increases and the new-and-vacant FTE pool, with Appropriations explaining that those dollars had been moved back into agency budgets from OMB. The bill passed 84-6. The House also passed Senate Bill 2013, the Commissioner of University and School Lands appropriation, after discussion of Trust Lands operations, unclaimed property staffing, and distributions from the Common Schools Trust Fund; one member was excused for a conflict, and the bill passed 67-22. Senate Bill 2023, the Racing Commission appropriation, passed 65-25 after a brief explanation of the agency’s responsibilities and funding. A major policy debate centered on Senate Bill 2385, which revises mobile home park regulation. Supporters said it creates receivership procedures if a license is revoked, requires clearer tenant notices, limits certain fees, and strengthens protections against eviction and utility overcharges. Two members were excused from voting due to conflicts tied to mobile home park ownership, and the bill passed 84-4. Another extended debate occurred on Senate Bill 2159, which allows the State Energy Research Center to study nuclear-related projects with approval from the Industrial Commission and consultation with the radioactive waste advisory council. Supporters said it is meant to help study advanced nuclear energy while preserving existing prohibitions on high-level radioactive waste storage; opponents raised concerns that the language could weaken prior protections and open the door to waste-related research or storage. The transcript ends during that debate, before a final vote on SB 2159 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> States</c> to building codes this measure States to building codes this measure States beginning<01
• ><c> building</c><01:53:01.760><c> codes</c> recent Hawaii state building codes recent Hawaii state building
• ><c> Building</c><01:53:03.159><c> Code</c> adopted by the State Building Code adopted by the State Building
• <01:56:29.000><c> Council</c><01:56:29.360><c> is</c> Building Code Council is Building Code Council
• they</c> amend the State Building Code as they amend the State Building Code as they see<03:05:19.439

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard three House bills related to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. HB 606 would extend the Act 279 special fund to June 30, 2028, continue deposits and appropriations to help eliminate the DHHL waitlist, and require a strategic plan and annual reporting. DHHL strongly supported the measure, saying most of the initial $600 million had been used and that the need remains large, with more than 29,000 people on the waitlist. Public testimony also supported the bill, emphasizing its importance to Native Hawaiian families and concerns about Hawaiians leaving the islands because of housing costs. A member noted the bill is a priority and that the committee will keep working on how to fund another $600 million. HB 1086 would exempt DHHL homestead lot and housing development from general excise and use taxes. DHHL supported the bill, saying any tax savings would reduce the eventual cost of housing for low-income beneficiaries. The Department of Taxation said it could administer the measure and noted it is already being implemented under the governor’s emergency proclamation, with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2026. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered technical comments and urged the committee to weigh existing benefits already received by DHHL beneficiaries. HB 1307 would appropriate funds for DHHL water well development and geothermal exploration on Hawaiian homelands. DHHL said the bill is a follow-up to prior study funding and would support slim-hole drilling, site evaluation, and consultant work to identify viable geothermal resources, especially on Hawaiʻi Island. Several testifiers opposed the bill, arguing there had been inadequate beneficiary consultation, raising environmental, cultural, and safety concerns, and objecting to using $20 million for geothermal rather than housing. In response to committee questions, DHHL staff explained that the goal is to gather information for a future public-private partnership to develop geothermal electricity, and that a Chapter 343 environmental review would be required later in the process. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.