Transcript Highlights:

• Any discussion? Any discussion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Further discussion.
• Further discussion. Thank you. Further discussion.
• Discussion. The lady from Green. I yield 30 seconds to Discussion.
• Discussion on House Amendment 14. Discussion on House Amendment 14?

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the previous day’s journal by a 126-0 vote, and suspended business for the Speaker to sign several bills and substitutes. Members then spent much of the day introducing guests, including county assessors, students, civic groups, and visitors from local schools and universities. The chamber then took up House Bill 2002, the elementary and secondary education budget. Members adopted several amendments, including technical fixes to allow board-operated schools to use personal service funds for career ladder payments, clarifications to child care subsidy language, and changes to Parents as Teachers rules so that enrollment remains voluntary and virtual visits are not reimbursable. An amendment to shift $1 million from one child care facilities line to Child Care Works passed, as did an amendment to fund a new Success-Ready Student Assessment with $2 million to help replace the MAP test. A proposal to pay child care subsidies for foster children based on enrollment rather than attendance failed 53-93, and an amendment to divert $10 million in Title I funds into a competitive grant program also failed. A later amendment to send budget reports to the ranking minority member passed, while an attempt to remove child care subsidy language from the bill failed. The House then moved to higher education and workforce development appropriations. Members approved an amendment broadening a pre-apprenticeship program statewide and supported funding for Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries through a transfer from dual credit scholarship funds. The most extensive debate centered on House Bill 2003’s higher education funding model, where the chair defended an FTE-based approach as more transparent than the long-standing status quo, while opponents warned it would sharply cut funding for institutions such as Harris-Stowe, Lincoln, Truman State, and some community colleges, and would ignore factors like graduation rates, research, and workforce needs. A compromise amendment to soften the transition was withdrawn, and a separate amendment to restore the governor’s recommendation was also debated at length, with members arguing over the fairness and consequences of the proposed model.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> on</c><00:06:52.160><c> Amendment</c> Is there any discussion on Amendment Is there any discussion
• </c> Senator Abbott is there any discussion Senator Abbott is there any discussion on<00:10:02.560><c
• is there any discussion on the ought to is there any discussion on the ought to pass<00:10:21.640><c>
• </c> discussion on House Bill 1457? discussion on House Bill 1457?
• </c> discussion on House Bill 1576? discussion on House Bill 1576?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion? Any seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objections?
• Is there any discussion? transportation. Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? If finances. Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? If wastewater. Is there any discussion?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any further discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Any further discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion?

Bills: HB2675, HB2249, HB2120, HB1069, HB1983, HB2431, SB6006, SB6297, SB6351, SB6353, HB2521, HB2091, HB2104, SB6355, HB2254, HB2385, SB5808, HB1796, HB1376, SB6260, HB2353

Keywords: accounts, finance, business regulation, transparency, audits, HB 2249, Washington Technology Solutions, WaTech, civil service, classified service, exempt employees, state employment, state personnel, network security, cybersecurity, information technology, IT contracting, data center, systems integration, network engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• Further discussion.
• Further discussion. Further discussion. Lady from Green.
• Further discussion.
• Further discussion.
• Further discussion on House Amendment 9. Further discussion.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any discussion? reading, final passage. Any discussion?
• Any discussion? If not, clerk passage. Any discussion?
• Any discussion? If not, final passage. Any discussion?
• Any discussion? If not, clerk passage. Any discussion?
• discussion? discussion?

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, April 9, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first outlined its plan to clear pending concurrence items, focusing on Senate bills with House amendments and not taking up unamended House bills. Members then approved several motions not to concur with House amendments, including Senate Bills 514, 626, and 866, with the clerk reading the formal Senate messages in each case. The chamber also addressed an excused-vote question, with the presiding officer explaining that excused votes do not count as missed votes. The Senate then concurred in House amendments and passed a series of Senate bills, including SB 11 on campaign finance reporting and the Fair Campaign Financing Fund, SB 164 on the Pamela J. Kelly Tree Maryland program, SB 266 on local regulation of invasive trees, SB 509 on workforce Pell Grant implementation, SB 553 reestablishing the lithium-ion battery safety commission, SB 581 on statewide technology master plan reporting, SB 670 on polling-place authority, SB 848 on municipal election reporting, and SB 940 on water quality testing. Most of these House amendments were described as technical, clarifying, or conforming changes, and each bill received the required constitutional majority on final passage. The chamber also took up House Bill 862, a rail safety bill requiring certain freight trains to have crews of at least two under specified interstate conditions. After questions from the minority leader about the bill’s trigger conditions and effect on an Eastern Shore rail line, a senator explained support for the measure and the bill passed with 33 affirmative votes. Additional special-order House bills passed as well, including HB 497 on protective order durations, HB 552 establishing a commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, and HB 573 on fair housing and discriminatory effect standards. Later, the Senate continued with more concurrence items from Finance, including SB 22 on Department of Disabilities housing programs, SB 412 on forensic review boards and community forensic aftercare, SB 413 on morticians and funeral directors board operations, SB 496 on Medicaid coverage for obesity treatment, SB 555 on dementia services and brain health resources, and SB 579 on no-cost preventive cancer screening for retired volunteer firefighters. These bills were generally amended in the House with clarifying or conforming changes, and the Senate adopted the amendments and passed the bills by constitutional majority.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion further discussion?
• Is there any discussion further discussion?
• Is there any discussion further discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Thank you. Is there any discussion?

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met in executive session on March 2, 2026, and worked through two large groups of bills, hearing staff briefings, caucusing, and then voting each measure out to the Rules Committee. In the first group, the committee advanced bills on state accounts (HB 2675, with an amendment creating an adult day service facilities account), immigrant worker protections (2SHB 2105, after adopting a striker and Amendment 8 while rejecting amendments that would have changed enforcement and private rights of action), voting rights compliance (E3SHB 1710, with all proposed amendments rejected), AI content provenance and notices (E2SHB 1170, with Amendment 19 adopted to exempt state/local/tribal governments and certain video-game and technical uses), public official protections (2SHB 233, with a technical amendment adopted), WOTEC civil service coverage (HB 2249), JLARC work plan changes (HB 2120), LEOFF Plan 1 termination/restatement (E2SHB 2034, with several amendments adopted including creation of a pension surplus holding account and study directives, while proposals to redirect funds to the Climate Commitment Act or provide a lump-sum payment were rejected or withdrawn), supplemental retirement bargaining (HB 1069, with a striker adopted), port employee retirement exclusions (EHB 2179, with a striker adopted), local government revenue flexibility (ESHB 2442, with Amendment 72 adopted to remove a county public utility tax and other amendments rejected), wildfire mitigation funding (SHB 2089), and timberland REET changes (HB 1983). The committee also noted that it would not take action on some items in the packet, including SHB 1833. In the second group, the committee advanced bills on local housing tax remittance programs (ESHB 1717), renewable energy tax incentives and grants (E3SHB 1960, with a striking amendment adopted that adjusted rates, timing, and related provisions), nonprofit fundraising hall property tax relief (HB 2431), food bank sales tax relief (SB 6006), local tax increment financing (E2SHB 2451), temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health entities (SB 6297), school and child care-related sales tax exemptions (SSB 6351, with a substitute adopted and the competing amendment made out of order), behavioral health work group extension and leadership council creation (2SHB 2429), Working Connections Child Care changes (SB 6353, with Amendment 43 adopted), language access guidelines for state agencies (SHB 2475), unpaid wage recovery (2SHB 2479), firearms background check fee authority (HB 2521, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), public employee information sharing (HB 2091, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided), and Office of Independent Investigations jurisdiction changes (ESHB 2508, briefed but not acted on in the portion provided). Throughout the meeting, members and staff discussed fiscal notes, implementation costs, and whether amendments would increase or reduce state impacts, with several amendments aimed at narrowing scope, delaying implementation, or shifting enforcement and funding responsibilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any further discussion? If Thank you. Any further discussion?
• Is there any discussion?<00:31:35.200><c> Senator,</c> discussion? Senator, discussion?
• Further discussion? If not, do we you. Further discussion?
• So ordered further discussion.<01:43:47.360><c> If</c> discussion. If discussion.
• Is there any discussion? further discussion? Any objections? If further discussion? Any objections?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> discussion on amendment 1102s? discussion on amendment 1102s?
• Is there any discussion? discussion? discussion? &gt;&gt; Thank<00:07:55.280><c> you.
• </c> further discussion on Senate Bill 459? further discussion on Senate Bill 459?
• </c> Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion?
• c> 099</c> discussion on amendment 099 discussion on amendment 099 uh<00:14:03.199><c> zero?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any discussion?
• Any discussion?
• Any discussion?
• Any discussion?
• Any discussion?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of tax, budget, and policy bills. On SB 325 and SB 326, the Tax Foundation testified and the committee later recommended passage with amendments. SB 721, SB 1278, and SB 1465 also drew Tax Foundation testimony focused on technical corrections and effective-date issues; SB 1278 was strongly supported by the Hawaii Restaurant Association and other restaurant and business groups, who argued the bill should extend tax relief to the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund because it served the same purpose as earlier COVID relief programs. A bar owner also testified in support, describing severe pandemic-related losses and lack of government assistance. The Department of Taxation asked about the estimated fiscal impact of SB 1278, which was stated to be about $16.8 million and not including interest. The committee also considered SB 1464 through SB 1470, with the Tax Foundation supporting most of the conformity and tax measures and opposing SB 1465 as unnecessary. SB 1464 was recommended for passage unamended, SB 1465 with amendments, and SB 1466, SB 1467, and SB 1470 unamended. SB 1362 and SB 1363 were deferred so the administration could explore moving funds within the existing budget instead of using emergency appropriations. SB 1044 was amended to create a condominium loan program and special fund to finance essential repairs and improve insurability of condominium properties, with loans repaid over 20 years and the fund eventually sunsetted. The committee also acted on several other measures: SB 533 was amended to remove an appropriation and require a local investor-owned utility to support schools affected by a planned public safety power shutoff program; SB 1117 was amended to define electric motorcycles and prohibit operation by those under 18; SB 1186 was amended to move a food-production working group to the Agribusiness Development Corporation and remove an appropriation; SB 1391 was amended to require a one-to-one match of state funds with private donations; and SB 1669 was amended with committee-report language noting concerns about jurisdictional definitions and board qualifications. Later, the committee recommitted SB 933 and SB 938 to Ways and Means after adopting proposed SD1 versions. Most measures were adopted unanimously, often with members voting no with reservation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion<00:25:54.080><c> on</c><00:25:54.520><c> the</c> discussion on the discussion
• Is there any<00:43:02.480><c> discussion</c> any discussion any discussion on<00:43:04.240><c> the</c
• Is there any discussion? consent. Is there any discussion?
• Any discussion? discussion? discussion?
• Is there any further<01:05:44.080><c> discussion?</c> further discussion? further discussion?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any discussion? discussion? discussion? Any<00:26:17.800><c> objections?
• Any discussion? discussion? discussion? Any<00:26:24.840><c> objections?
• Any discussion?<00:43:46.600><c> Any</c> discussion? Any discussion?
• Any discussion? passage. Any discussion?
• Any discussion? If not, clerk passage. Any discussion?

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further discussion. Further discussion.
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent?
• Is there any discussion? If not, do we... Is there any discussion?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:03.200><c> not</c><00:19:03.400><c> chair</c> discussion not chair discussion not chair Vol<00
• Any discussion?
• </c> approval any discussion approval any discussion sure<00:25:09.799><c> just</c><00:25:10.039><c>
• Any discussion?
• <00:29:25.120><c> not</c><00:29:25.279><c> chair</c> discussion not chair discussion not chair vot<00

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee met in decision-making only and first took up HB 300, the Senate majority budget package. The chair described the bill as a response to economic uncertainty and reduced revenue forecasts, and outlined a wide range of appropriations and staffing changes across state agencies, including agriculture, education, health, public safety, housing, labor, natural resources, and corrections. The package emphasized one-year funding for many new programs, vacancy reductions, and investments in services such as preschool, mental health, wildfire mitigation, cybersecurity, public access, and workforce development. HB 300 was recommended to pass with amendments and was adopted unanimously, with members voting yes and no reservations noted only as procedural responses. The committee then acted on HB 794 and HB 795, both recommended to pass with amendments by changing the defective date to 2050; both measures were adopted without discussion. On the 101 agenda, HB 400, the Judiciary budget bill, was recommended to pass with amendments. The bill included vacancy reductions, security funding, permanent staffing for several court and justice programs, and support for civil legal services, immigration-related services, and technology licenses. HB 400 was adopted. HB 410 was also adopted with amendments and a defective date change to 2050. On the 102 agenda, the committee passed several bills either unamended or with targeted amendments. HB 3, HB 134, HB 177, HB 237, HB 648, HB 713, HB 735, HB 1391, and HB 1462 were passed unamended. HB 214 passed with amendments expanding eligibility for retired employees to fill labor-shortage or succession-planning positions, including certain management positions excluded from collective bargaining; one member raised concerns about school resource officers and community fit, which the chair said could be addressed in the committee report. HB 441 passed with amendments to direct cigarette tax funds to the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund, with a discussion about whether e-cigarettes should be included. Other measures passed with amendments included HB 448, HB 667, HB 727, HB 740, HB 806, HB 1020, HB 1345, and HB 1365, generally involving date changes, blank appropriations, or technical language. HB 1391 was adopted with a reservation from Senator Kim. The meeting concluded with HB 1462 adopted unamended.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's discussion on the motion. Senator Irvin, you're recognized for discussion.
• There's a discussion on the motion. Senator Irvin, you're recognized for discussion.
• in that discussion?
• Any discussion on the motion? We have a second. We have a second. Any discussion?
• Any discussion on the motion? We have a second. Any discussion on the motion?

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion?
• Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion?

Keywords: 983, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further discussion? &gt;&gt; Thank you. Further discussion?
• Further discussion? &gt;&gt; Thank you. Further discussion?
• Further discussion. &gt;&gt; Thank you. Further discussion.
• &gt;&gt; any<01:08:14.640><c> discussion?</c> &gt;&gt; any discussion? &gt;&gt; any discussion?
• Further discussion? &gt;&gt; Thank you. Further discussion?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Further discussion on the amendment. Further discussion on the amendment?
• Discussion.
• Further discussion. See none. Further discussion.
• Further discussion. See none. Further discussion. Say none.
• We've discussed this.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Discussion on the title.
• Further discussion.
• Further discussion. Further discussion on House Amendment No. 6.
• It discusses issues.
• It discusses issues.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, approved the previous day’s journal unanimously, and then adopted a motion suspending House Rule 98 to allow members to wear hats on the floor. Members also introduced several special guests, including the Eugene High School Class 2 basketball champions, family members, scholarship recipients, and other visitors. One member used a lengthy personal privilege speech to criticize a recent U.S. Supreme Court voting-rights decision and warn about threats to democracy and minority voting power. The chamber then took up committee reports and several bills. It approved a motion to go to conference on the property-tax omnibus measure tied to Senate Bills 1066 and 1088. House Bill 3329, repealing expired tax credits, passed 142-0. House Bill 3405, clarifying the SALT deduction and improving tax-credit accounting, also passed 138-0. House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2426, a parental-rights bill that also drew criticism over a school financial-ledger requirement and possible burdens on schools and student safety, failed on third reading 70-60. The House next passed House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1233, a professional-licensing bill involving CPA exam access and other occupational licensing changes, by 129-6 after adopting an amendment removing compact language and rejecting a nursing-home physicals amendment. It then passed House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1408, which raises the maximum rural interstate speed limit to 75 mph and, through multiple amendments, also carried a mix of transportation-related provisions including vehicle inspections, hands-free enforcement, motorcycle lighting, driver education, and specialty license plates for women’s professional sports; the final vote was 82-53. The Speaker also appointed a conference committee for Senate Bill 1066. The final item mentioned was Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill 863, described as an interscholastic athletic oversight/appeals bill, but the transcript cuts off before its final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a discussion on the motion. Senator Irvin, you're recognized for discussion.
• in that discussion?
• Any discussion on the motion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor say aye. Opposed?
• Any discussion on the motion? No discussion. You have a motion to pass. We have a second.
• Any discussion on the motion? We have a second. We have a second. Any discussion on the motion?

Summary: The committee met to consider a long caption of House and Senate bills, first announcing a list of measures ready to be passed out and then taking up a special language subcommittee report. The report covered several bills, including SB 63, SB 67, SB 73, HB 1089, HB 1090, and HB 1093, along with amendments to a larger group of bills. A motion was made to pull HB 107 out separately, but after discussion about the amendment’s impact on school districts and the process for further debate, the substitute motion failed and the special language report was adopted. The committee then considered the revenue stabilization law and schedule. Staff explained that the main changes from the governor’s balanced budget proposal were moving county operations and higher education allocations from category B to category A, and described several fund transfers, including $100 million to Medicaid sustainability, $70 million to the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom account, $43.7 million to discretionary set-asides, $5 million to the motor vehicle set-aside, and two $150 million transfers related to the Quick Action Closing Fund and highway improvements. After questions about the schedule’s funding changes, the committee adopted the amendment and then passed House Bill 1100 and Senate Bill 75 as amended. Representative McClendon then presented a bill to support expansion of the Bella Vista Veterans Wall of Honor, requesting $400,000, but withdrew the bill, saying he would seek alternate funding. The committee then moved through the remaining captioned House and Senate bills, including HB 105, HB 107, HB 1008, HB 1022, HB 1035, HB 1036, HB 1037, HB 1051, HB 1052, HB 1064, HB 1066, HB 1068, HB 1089, HB 1090, HB 1093, and Senate Bills 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, 20, 21, 30, 31, 36, 41, 43, 58, 63, 67, 73, and 77, approving them with or without amendments as noted. The chair also announced that all prior holds had been released and said the next meeting would be a Joint Budget Committee meeting focused only on peer issues before adjourning.