Transcript Highlights:

• and and improved roads to handle current and future<00:32:37.519> traffic<00:32:37.919> volumes
• <00:32:38.880> especially<00:32:39.679> truck future traffic volumes especially truck
• future traffic volumes especially truck freight<00:32:40.640> traffic.
• categories, they're bridge replacement categories, they're fiscally<00:35:02.800> balanced<00
• We're also replacing the iconic Singing Bridge in downtown Frankfort.

Keywords: 00:03 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:57 Capital Projects and Highway Plan 56:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:10:20.720> the<00:10:20.880> policy<00:10:21.279> in<00:10:21.600> volume
• , Pah, uh lighter on the policy in volume, Pah, uh lighter on the policy in volume, but<00:10:22.240
• Uh and this basically was the uh roof repair<00:20:32.720> and<00:20:33.039> replacement
• provision of the repair and replacement provision of the bill.<00:20:35.360> Um<00:20:35.919>
• and replacement in their 10-year<00:20:40.159> facilities<00:20:40.840> plan.

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I would just ask if any of you have ever had experience having to replace your windshield through
• difference between that versus a rock hitting a windshield, and the windshield alone needs to be replaced
• You'll see that there are special provisions just for window replacement and window damage.
• I've had to replace a couple windshields over the last several years.
• Large-volume clinics and things like that.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on domestic violence protections, pay equity enforcement, Jewish demographic data collection, court transparency, auto glass insurance practices, pet policy disclosure for renters, and civil rights accountability for federal officers. SB 99 would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases; supporters from the Department of Defense and military organizations said it would close jurisdictional gaps for military families, and the bill passed to Public Safety. SB 1237 would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California pay data reporting laws; supporters said stronger enforcement is needed to address persistent wage gaps, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1387 would allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data; supporters said better data would improve policy and anti-discrimination efforts, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary or divisive, and it passed to Privacy. SB 932 would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed to Judiciary/Appropriations on call. The committee also took up SB 98, which would regulate auto glass insurance claims by restricting assignment of benefits, requiring clearer estimates and invoices, and limiting inducements to consumers. The sponsor and NICB said the bill would curb fraud and unsafe repairs, while independent glass shops and industry groups argued it could reduce consumer choice and favor insurer-aligned networks; the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees and provide refunds if nondisclosure materially affected an applicant’s decision; supporters said it would save renters time and money, while rental housing representatives objected to a provision limiting eviction based solely on failure to sign a pet addendum. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 747, the No Kings Act, would create a California cause of action allowing people to sue federal officers for constitutional violations using standards similar to Section 1983. Senator Wiener and a witness who said he was unlawfully detained by Border Patrol argued the bill is needed because federal officers currently lack comparable accountability after the Supreme Court narrowed Bivens remedies. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill, warning that the qualified immunity language is unclear, could create a separate California standard, and might expose officers and governments to retroactive litigation; members discussed possible amendments on qualified immunity and retroactivity, and the bill was moved forward with an urgency amendment while negotiations continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we watch right now is that their volumes are going down because patient care is.
• as we build up that infrastructure, we will see about a 70 percent increase in our inpatient care volume
• of things occurring all at the same time: the clinical expansion, the ability to grow the clinical volume
• The program, the business plan also confirmed our feasibility and the need for replacing the clinical
• be doing something like this because in the United States now, there's a lot of movement towards replacing

Transcript Highlights:

• This emphasizes our need to support agriculture, to focus on import replacement.
• Do you have any idea what the volume of the tax credit need is versus the pool of resources available
• Do you have any idea what the volume of the tax credit need is versus the pool of resources available
• So subsection F: delete 'approved' and replace with 'licensed.'
• <02:22:16.960> with delete approved and replace with delete approved and replace with licensed

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it was the decreasing line on housing units needed for household growth and replacement.
• And I think I have some of the thoughts, but I want to hear from you guys first. replacement.
• <01:29:31.920> history<01:29:32.239> and volume in our organization's history and volume
• <01:31:01.520> So<01:31:02.080> HF our client volume has doubled.
• So HF our client volume has doubled.

Bills: HF3425, HF3424, HF1385

Keywords: supportive housing, grants, housing assistance, funding, Minnesota Statutes, eviction, rent, nonpayment of rent, landlord-tenant, residential tenant, notice to quit, unlawful detainer, housing, lease violation, late fees, rental assistance, legal aid, tenant rights, Minnesota Statutes 504B.321, pre-eviction notice

Transcript Highlights:

• Generally, Senate Bill 66 simply would replace the more than 100 instances of the agency's previous name
• from five to seven percent that number is more like 20 percent and that's where you see these large volumes
• to manifest there are operators of SWD facilities already required to maintain certain things like volumes
• we'll probably be able to understand very quickly, soon, what is water, what's not water, and what volumes

Bills: SB766, SB290, SB494, SB1145

Keywords: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water regulation, environmental protection, pesticide management, natural resources, LP-gas, property owner notice, gas installations, safety notification, petroleum theft, task force, oil and gas, law enforcement, economic impact, environmental regulation, water permits, water quality, land application, 1185, senate

Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, our members have told us there is no replacement available, especially for key fobs.
• But, you know, our members have told us there is no replacement available, especially for key fobs.
• But, you know, our members have told us there is no replacement available, especially for key fobs.
• Our members have told us there is no replacement available, especially for key fobs.
• <00:50:26.799> of<00:50:26.920> the of the entire volume of the of the entire volume

Bills: HF737, HF247, HF325, HF1330

Keywords: lead, cadmium, consumer products, safety regulation, retail restrictions, motor sports, nonoxygenated gasoline, fuel regulations, storage requirements, racing events, HF325, flavored nitrous oxide, nitrous oxide, whippets, laughing gas, retail sales, consumer protection, misdemeanor, commerce, Minnesota Statutes chapter 325F

Transcript Highlights:

• But many of these bridges do need significant repairs or even replacement in some cases.
• Most bridges are designed to last about 50 years before a major overhaul or replacement, but with advances
• have already surpassed their intended design life, and they'll need significant repairs or even replacement
• That is, you know, it's figured out, and they have to have a volume of, you know, how many license plates
• So what I'm seeing here is bridge replacement. This is the project that we talked about.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee first heard TRIP’s annual New Mexico transportation report from Carolyn Boniface Kelly, which described deteriorating roads and bridges, congestion, safety concerns, and a large transportation funding gap. The report said more than half of major roads statewide are in poor or mediocre condition, over 170 bridges are rated poor, congestion costs drivers significant time and money, and traffic crashes and road conditions impose billions in annual costs. Members broadly agreed the report underscored the need for more stable transportation funding, with several noting the state’s recurring underinvestment and the safety risks to motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2, a transportation bonding and revenue package. Senator Gonzales and Governor’s office and NMDOT representatives said the bill would authorize about $1.5 billion in additional bond debt for ready-to-go highway projects, while also increasing certain motor vehicle excise, registration, weight-distance, and EV-related fees to help support debt service and transportation funding. Supporters, including contractors, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber, the Department of Finance and Administration, and transportation officials, argued the bill would improve safety, economic development, project delivery, and funding stability, and help preserve federal dollars. Opponents, including the Rio Grande Foundation and some committee members, objected to the tax and fee increases, argued the state should use existing surpluses or other funds instead, and raised concerns about impacts on families, businesses, and local governments. Committee members questioned how projects would be selected, how the new fees were calculated, how EV surcharges would work, and whether local government distributions would be affected. NMDOT said the projects would be reported to the legislature annually, selected using crash data, asset management, and project readiness, but bond approval would remain with the State Transportation Commission. After debate, Representative Romero moved do pass on SB 2 as amended, Representative Hochman-Vigil seconded, and the committee approved the bill 7-2, with Representatives Brown and Dow voting no and several members expressing reservations despite supporting the need for transportation investment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Speaker, there's only one commercial retailer who sells high volume purebred dogs that has been
• I believe we all know how they sustain that sale of high volumes of dogs.
• I think the question you have to ask yourself, Madam Speaker, is if you were to replace the word 'pet

Bills: HB4358, HB2398, HB3557, HB3129, HB3312, HB2210, HB1937, HB3021, HB4246, HB4230, HB3617, HB3657, HB2976, HB3391, HB4459, HB4128, HB3989, HB2989, HB4060, HB3145, HB2992, HB3464, HB3552, HB2984, HB4124, HB3934, HB3448, HB3131, HB4200, HB4201, HB3011, HB1912, HB3380, HB3881, HB3538, HB3851, HB3907, HB4430, HB4431, HB4457, HB2947, HB2951, HB2980, HB3082, HB3519, HB3644, HB3882, HB3661, HB3996, HB4335

Keywords: screen time, education, public schools, child development, digital learning, youth health, academic performance, credential of value, workforce development, labor market, government reporting, Oklahoma Agricultural Extension, local funding, financial institutions, county extension services, state funds, free expression, colleges, security fees, public forums

Transcript Highlights:

• center's ability to function at normal capacity, either by supplementing existing staff or temporarily replacing
• profession has seen a significant change in the types of calls, severity of calls, and increase in the volume
• Suicides and overdoses are now a part of our daily call volume.

Bills: S0774, S7028, S7024, S7026

Keywords: mental health, first responders, employment benefits, 911 telecommunicators, nervous injuries, retirement, elected officials, Deferred Retirement Option Program, DROP, cost-of-living adjustment, trade secret, public records exemption, public meetings exemption, open government, sunset review, agency confidentiality, proprietary business information, proprietary confidential business information, confidential records, Florida public records law

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met and first heard Senate Bill 774, which would extend workers’ compensation medical benefits for employment-related mental or nervous injuries to 911 public safety telecommunicators, even without a physical injury. The sponsor and several dispatchers, a clinician, and communications directors testified in support, describing repeated exposure to traumatic calls, chronic understaffing, and the need for mental health treatment and retention support. Senator DiCeglie and Chair Mayfield praised dispatchers’ work, and the bill was reported favorably by committee vote, with Senator McClain later recorded as voting yes on the bill. The committee then took up SPB 7028, a retirement bill that sets Florida Retirement System employer contribution rates beginning July 1, 2026, leaves the 3% employee contribution unchanged, allows certain elected officers to receive a DROP payout under specified conditions, and provides a 1.5% alternative cost-of-living adjustment for eligible special risk retirees. Firefighters, police, sheriffs, and chiefs’ groups spoke in support, emphasizing recruitment and retention. The committee voted to submit the proposal as a committee bill and reported it favorably. Finally, the committee considered SPB 7024 and SPB 7026, both open-government-related bills. SPB 7024 would repeal the current public records and public meeting exemption for cybersecurity information and consolidate agency-specific cybersecurity exemptions into one agency-wide exemption. SPB 7026 would repeal the current public records exemption for trade secrets held by an agency and similarly consolidate specific trade secret exemptions into one agency-wide exemption. Neither bill drew testimony or debate, and both were submitted as committee bills and reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• didn't bring those with me, but the C8 study is full of these and I can certainly present you with volumes
• <00:16:08.399> present<00:16:08.720> you<00:16:08.959> with<00:16:09.199> volumes
• can certainly present you with volumes can certainly present you with volumes of<00:16:09.920>
• I don't want someone not to get a heart valve replacement because we don't have an adequate way to do
• in it, I'm willing to do that to save our military's lives right now while we look for better replacements

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The meeting was a PFAS-focused hearing of the Capital Investment Committee, with members informally discussing the scale of PFAS cleanup costs, possible Minnesota-made removal technology, and even committee birthday treats before the testimony began. No formal votes or motions were taken in the portion provided. The chair also noted the committee was waiting on a computer/cable issue before starting the presentation. The main testimony came from Sandy Wyn, co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network, who described how PFAS contamination affected her Michigan community. She recounted that her private well tested at extremely high PFAS levels after a state visit, linked the contamination to Wolverine Worldwide’s historic dumping practices, and said the pollution spread through groundwater and municipal systems. She emphasized that PFAS are widespread in consumer products, firefighting foam, wastewater biosolids, and agriculture, and argued that the chemicals’ persistence makes them difficult to manage once released. Wyn said PFAS exposure is associated with health problems including cholesterol issues, liver and thyroid damage, kidney cancer, low birth weight, and reduced vaccine response in children. She told members she had her own blood tested, later developed thyroid cancer, and said a local child had very high PFAS levels and vaccine complications. Members asked for supporting studies, and she referenced the C8 study and other research. She urged stronger product restrictions, labeling, blood and water testing support, caution around biosolids, and continued efforts to reduce PFAS use, while acknowledging some limited uses may still be necessary in critical applications like military firefighting foam or medical devices.

Transcript Highlights:

• does not exceed their the total volume does not exceed their permit<01:02:00.880> appropriation.
• <01:04:58.799> appropriations<01:04:59.359> from<01:04:59.680> hyperscale volume
• appropriations from hyperscale volume appropriations from hyperscale data<01:05:00.559> centers
• that the department had was to replace that the department had was to replace the<01:12:59.280><
• A key interest that the department had was to replace the word "pable" with priority one uses.

Bills: HF1531, HF4017, HF3399, HF4146, HF4019, HF3677

Keywords: crossbow, crossbow hunting, archery season, deer hunting, bear hunting, turkey hunting, fishing, common carp, rough fish, game and fish, wildlife management, hunting license, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, sunset clause, expiration removal, archery equipment, outdoor recreation, infectious waste, pathological waste

Transcript Highlights:

• on a given task may actually be longer than the work we need done on that, to repair a wear, maybe replace
• Done on that to repair a wear, maybe replace lights, go out there.
• that they have at their disposal today to get health care providers to join their networks: patient volume
• We can know; we'll know what the dollar volume of those claims were and what they were previously.
• So we absolutely will be in a position to tell— What the dollar volume of those claims were and what

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on May 18, 2026, with eight members present and began by noting the state’s projected REC budget deficit and the need to consider fiscal impacts carefully. The committee first advanced HB 12, which extends the $250,000 surviving spouse benefit to reserve officers killed in the line of duty. Members noted the bill is prospective and that it draws from the same capped fund as other related bills, but it was reported favorable without opposition. The committee also adopted an amendment and reported HB 874 favorable as amended; the bill allows colleges, technical schools, the Louisiana Bar Association, and additional credentials to be added to LA Wallet, with the amendment changing mandatory language to permissive language. HB 951 was then reported favorable, creating an employer-facing workforce unit within Louisiana Works, to be funded through repurposed state and federal funds and existing staff, with a floor amendment expected to rename the unit. The committee also reported HB 979 favorable with amendments after reducing the proposed increase in survivor benefits because members learned several bills were drawing from the same $5 million fund, and HB 1193 favorable as amended, after striking a section that would have extended IDIQ authority to supply contracts for CPR. The committee then heard HB 909, which would require commercial payers to cover behavioral health crisis services. Representative Spell and LDH officials said the measure is intended to support crisis response centers and steer patients away from emergency rooms when appropriate, and they testified that it should be cost-neutral or absorbed within existing funding. Despite concerns raised by Senator Andrews about premiums, the bill was reported favorable after discussion of its potential savings and a possible pilot in Acadiana. HB 222, requiring Medicaid to cover dental procedures when needed to complete another medically covered procedure, was also reported favorable; LDH said it would absorb the cost within its existing budget and draw down federal matching funds. HB 291, which prevents health plans from penalizing hospitals when an out-of-network physician is involved in an otherwise covered hospital service, generated extensive debate over a disputed fiscal note and the No Surprises Act. OGB officials said any network “leakage” could cost the plan money, while supporters argued the policy is preventative and that the fiscal estimates were speculative. The committee adopted amendment 3941 to exempt OGB from the bill, then reported HB 291 favorable as amended. Later, the committee took up HB 145, which expands the authority of the law enforcement and firefighter survivor benefit board to cover extraordinary medical and dental expenses. Because members learned it also draws from the same fund as HB 12 and HB 979, an amendment reduced the amount from $50,000 to $25,000, and the bill was reported favorable as amended. HB 430, a local bill for Lafayette to continue paying health insurance costs for surviving families of fallen officers until Medicare eligibility, was reported favorable. Finally, HB 821, which establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement Administration and transfers related duties from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, was introduced and discussed as a move with a one-time general fund expenditure already included in HB 1. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are page numbers and the LFC volumes that correspond to the agency.
• Chairman, Senator Woods, are you looking at the balances in the cash balance report in Volume 3?
• In my capital request, I'm going to put in an emergency operations center to replace our old 1938 public
• building a brand-new Tingley if this thing's going to run into a couple hundred million dollars to replace
• Chairman, if you're looking at volume two, I believe, or—oh, yes, we're looking at hearing.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This fund was set up to try to provide revenue to help mitigate environmental hazards, to help replace
• tanks um and industry does replace tanks um and industry does support<00:39:29.040> this<00:39
• Then they compared that to oil import volumes, along with U.S.
• of home heating oil tanks replacement of home heating oil tanks for<00:46:06.319> low-income<
• then compared that to oil import volumes then compared that to oil import volumes as<00:48:12.079

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on HB 660, which would require historic horse racing facilities to pay 10% of HHR winnings to host communities as mitigation. Representative Om said the amendment was intended to leave charities and the state whole while funding local costs tied to large gaming facilities. Supporters argued the measure would address future municipal expenses, while opponents said host towns have not reported current problems and that the bill would single out one industry. Members questioned the 10% rate, whether the proposal was retroactive, and whether it would apply to existing facilities; the sponsor said it would apply to facilities already in place or later added. The hearing was then closed without any vote recorded in the transcript. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 658-FN, which raises reimbursement caps and adjusts fees for the Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup Fund and the Oil Pollution Control Fund. Representative Malloy introduced the bill, and Representative Aly explained the funds as a state-backed insurance mechanism for oil spill cleanup and prevention, including replacement of leaking home heating oil tanks for low-income homeowners. Bob Scully of the Energy Marketers Association supported the bill, saying the fee structure helps fund remediation and tank replacement, though costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. Department of Environmental Services officials Robert Bishop and Jennifer Marts described the bill as extending the fee collection for 10 years, changing reporting dates, increasing the cap for low-income tank replacement, and rebalancing fees based on an actuarial review. DES testified that the actuarial study found the fund needed to remain solvent and that home heating oil releases are the largest category of new releases, with the fuel oil fee otherwise needing to rise by more than 200% to cover projected costs. The board instead proposed a smaller increase and adjusted other fees accordingly, while maintaining a reserve to cover the first days of a major coastal spill before federal funds become available. Members asked about the basis for the fee changes, the role of the actuarial review, and the statutory language governing who pays the fees. The transcript ends during this hearing, with no final committee action or vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The total benefits issued last year was $1.77 billion, which includes $115 million in replacements.
• In the last two months of 2024, we replaced a little over $10.2 million in benefits.
• Now we can no longer replace benefits prior to December.
• December 20th, it was in the federal budget that you could replace benefits twice a year, but that did
• We have one lady, and several others, for whom we replaced benefits twice, and they were stolen off her

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• story short, those agencies that are listed and already have statutory authority are really high-volume
• And so the suggestion was to not make it general unless there was another agency that was also high volume
• Today, as I understand it, if the roof needs to be replaced, we have to go through the whole engineering
• To a replacement to something that is almost an exact duplicate or exact replacement to that work we've
• it probably could be classified as an ambiguity about whether or not, in a situation where you're replacing

Summary: The task force approved the March 25, 2026 minutes as amended, striking language about contracting with a security vendor. Members then reviewed a draft bill on concessions procurement (LC 27.0161), which would raise the competitive solicitation threshold from $25,000 to $50,000, allow requests for proposals in addition to bids, update language for vending and merchandising machines, and clarify where concession proceeds are deposited. OMB explained the bill and said it was open to further changes, including language to address artificial fragmentation, clarify which government entities are covered, and possibly set contract-length limits. Members raised questions about whether the bill would apply to school districts, park districts, airports, and other political subdivisions, and about whether concession agreements could direct proceeds to nonprofits or other secondary recipients; OMB said the statute is intended to require proceeds to go to the government entity’s operating fund or general fund. OMB also reported on other survey suggestions. It said a proposed general authority for agencies to create pre-qualified architect/engineering vendor pools would not move forward, because the existing authority is best limited to high-volume agencies. On legal notices, OMB said it had made progress with the North Dakota Newspaper Association on modernizing online notices, improving ADA compliance, and discussing rate and definition changes. On click-through agreements, OMB and the Attorney General’s office concluded no statutory change was needed after revising internal guidance; the $20,000 threshold was described as a practical cutoff for adhesive, nonnegotiable software terms. OMB also said issues raised by the Center for Distance Education on alternate procurements and food/beverage expenditures had been resolved through policy clarification. The University System gave a brief update on its collaboration with OMB and said it was continuing to review concessions, surplus property, and capital project statutes with all institutions involved. The task force then discussed a draft bill on requirements for new or expanded spending, intended to require agencies to identify program purpose, needs, alternatives, success measures, and budget details, and to report on outcomes over time. Members and staff debated whether OMB or Legislative Council should collect and report the information, how much should be real-time versus periodic, and whether the bill should include full implementation costs for pilot programs. Legislative Council staff said the new program evaluation division is still being built out, that staffing remains limited, and that the office plans to continue working with OMB and the executive branch to refine the proposal before the next meeting. No final action was taken on the draft bills beyond directing further work and follow-up for the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• be labeled with the type and brand of liquor used to make the alcoholic beverage, the alcohol by volume
• the<03:23:25.120> liquor<03:23:25.520> used<03:23:26.080> to alcohol by volume
• , and the amount of liquor that's volume, and the amount of liquor that's in<03:25:41.680> each
• It's the removal out of 17915 and it was replaced into 178.
• . replaced. replaced.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up an insurance-related chronic pain bill and an amendment modeled on language from Massachusetts and Maine. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed after stakeholder meetings because the original bill would have created an unaffordable insurance mandate in New Hampshire. The amendment was intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies by limiting prior authorization and step-therapy barriers so they are not more restrictive than for other treatments, including opioid therapies. After questions, the committee took a straw vote and advanced the amendment. The next item was a department-sponsored bill involving the state’s all-payer claims database. Insurance Department officials explained that the bill would encourage self-funded employer plans to opt in voluntarily by giving them aggregated, deidentified claims information in return. They said self-funded plans cannot be required to report data because of federal law, but the bill would provide an incentive while protecting employee privacy. Members asked detailed questions about who would see the data, whether individual employees could be identified, and how privacy would be enforced; the department said access would be aggregated and deidentified, and employer privacy issues would be governed by ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee also discussed a glucose-monitoring bill. Members debated whether the bill was aimed at type 1 diabetes coverage or broader access to continuous glucose monitors, and whether it would amount to an unnecessary insurance mandate that could raise premiums. Department testimony estimated the equipment cost and said the annual impact per member would be modest, but also noted that non-insulin therapies have not consistently shown clinically significant A1C reductions. The chair and some members emphasized that the bill should be considered on its own terms as a CGM coverage issue, not as a general diabetes mandate. The committee discussed the bill’s cost implications and asked the department for any prior cost analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• inflation since the last increase, including an inflationary index adjustment going forward, and replacing
• So we're seeing improvements or holding steady, even with these significant rises in volumes.
• Yeah, we're still seeing pretty high call volumes, but what we're starting to see, because in previous
• slides or previous years, and I presented, you could see how many high call volume messages—so how many
• of high call volume messages reduce.

Summary: The committee heard a report on the Underground Economy Task Force in Washington’s construction industry. Labor and Industries said the task force, created by a 2024 budget proviso, met 11 times and developed consensus recommendations to improve enforcement against worker misclassification, unregistered contractors, and unpaid taxes and premiums. Consensus items included defining and regulating construction labor providers, improving interagency data sharing, increasing penalties for repeat offenders, expanding L&I authority over successor accountability, reviewing agency penalty rules, and exploring tracking of cash payments. Majority-but-not-consensus ideas included posting subcontractor notices at job sites, setting an independent-contractor threshold that would trigger L&I review, holding direct contractors liable for unpaid wages owed by subcontractors, and reviewing reporting requirements. Testifiers from labor, business, and the Attorney General’s Office generally supported stronger enforcement and transparency, while business representatives cautioned against overregulation and said any new rules should avoid burdening legitimate contractors or restricting lawful cash payments and independent contracting. L&I said the final report would be distributed by December 31 and the task force work group would be reconvened. The committee then reviewed the wage recovery work group report. L&I explained current wage complaint procedures and said the work group, made up of labor and business representatives, reached five consensus recommendations: allow L&I to prioritize wage complaints strategically, permit aggregation of related complaints, raise the minimum penalty under the Wage Payment Act from $1,000 to $1,500 and create a penalty matrix, improve employer awareness with materials for new hires, and establish a wage recovery fund. The fund would be seeded by penalties, would not require new employer assessments, and would allow limited early payments to eligible workers facing hardship, with a proposed cap of $2,500 and a later review of the program. Business and labor representatives both supported the overall framework, though business raised concerns about fraud safeguards and recovery of funds if a claim is later found invalid. Members also received an overview of Washington’s apprenticeship system. L&I described the state’s apprenticeship agency structure, the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, and the difference between Washington’s state apprenticeship standards and the federal Office of Apprenticeship system. The presentation highlighted current participation levels, program approval and objection processes, and strong post-completion outcomes, including median annual earnings above $100,000 and an estimated $7.80 return for every public dollar invested. Committee members asked about how apprentices apply, how sponsors work with L&I, and whether recurring objections could be addressed earlier in the process. Finally, the committee heard updates on wildland firefighter respiratory protection, federal cuts to NIOSH, and economic and federal policy impacts on unemployment insurance and workforce services. L&I said wildland firefighters face significant smoke exposure and cancer risk, but current rules do not require respiratory protection for that work because of technical and operational challenges; the agency is watching efforts in other jurisdictions and at the federal level. On NIOSH, L&I warned that federal staffing and grant cuts could weaken occupational safety research, training pipelines, and programs affecting Washington workers, including firefighter cancer tracking and Hanford exposure assessments. ESD reported rising UI claims, a stable unemployment rate, and pressure on the trust fund, while also describing technology and process changes that have improved claims handling. ESD also said HR1 will significantly increase demand on WorkSource services through new work-search requirements for SNAP and Medicaid recipients, creating an unfunded mandate that the agency is preparing to implement with partner agencies.