Transcript Highlights:

• You need a higher weight than just pure fentanyl, and that's actually backwards, right?
• You need a higher weight than just pure fentanyl, and that's actually backwards, right?
• ><00:12:18.320><c> fentanyl</c><00:12:19.519><c> and</c> weight than just pure fentanyl and weight than
• So, it's a weight &gt;&gt; That's right, Senator.
• And the and the weight for right?

Bills: SB309 , HB192 , SB178 , SB179 , SB237 , HB10 , HB107 , HB189 , HB37 , HB226 , SB309 , HB192 , SB178 , SB179 , SB237 , HB10 , HB107 , HB189 , HB37 , HB226

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: automated driving systems, oversized vehicles, transportation, regulations, permits, HB192, international wire transfer, wire transfer fee, remittance fee, money transmission business, Alabama Securities Commission, Department of Revenue, Education Trust Fund, ELL instructors, English Language Learner, ESL teachers, income tax credit, remittances, international money transfer, migrant families

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:56.800><c> on</c> So with that, um I know we're limited on So with that, um I know we're limited
• </c> know, I noticed the focus was on weight know, I noticed the focus was on weight and<00:14:40.320
• This is glucose and your weight.
• It controls glucose, controls weight, but so does this, Controls weight, but so does this, right?
• :04.720><c> more</c> diabetes, more weight gain, more diabetes, more weight gain, more hypertension,<

Summary: The task force met for its third meeting, approved the minutes, and heard testimony from Dr. Jack on behalf of the American Beverage Association and Kentucky Beverage Association. Dr. Jack argued that the “totality of the science” supports low- and no-calorie sweeteners as safe and useful tools for reducing sugar and calories, citing FDA and other domestic and international reviews, clinical trials, and the FDA’s recent healthy-label rule. He also described the industry’s transparency efforts, including a “Good to Know” database compiling ingredient and safety information, and said the beverage industry has voluntarily worked to offer more choices with less sugar. Members questioned him about whether beverage ingredients are restricted in other countries, possible health effects beyond weight and cancer, concerns about metabolic issues and gut microbiome effects, whether sweeteners are addictive, and why companies do not simply remove sweeteners. Dr. Jack responded that most ingredients are permitted in many jurisdictions, that broad food-safety reviews have looked at multiple endpoints and found the ingredients safe, that the gut microbiome is still being studied, and that recent clinical evidence does not show increased sweetness preference. He also said business decisions about formulations are up to companies and noted that cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are metabolically similar. The committee also discussed consumer apps and ingredient-scoring tools; Dr. Jack said the industry’s website presents facts without interpretation and is based on food-safety agency assessments. At the end of his testimony, the chair accepted additional fact sheets for the committee. The meeting then moved on to introduce Dr. Gary Huber, who began testimony by emphasizing integrative medicine, metabolic syndrome, and the role of diet, exercise, sleep, and stress in health, but his full presentation was not included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• it to a certain THC limit.
• And lastly, measuring THC limit by milligrams in.
• This bill doesn't just limit products, it limits people's ability to choose natural and effective options
• My time here is limited.
• Also, I agree with the age limit of 21 and up.

Bills: SB3 , SB810 , SB965 , SB1073 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB 3

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• All testimony comments are limited to the bill at hand.
• All testimony comments are limited to the bill at hand.
• AB 2000 adds critical safeguards to limit these disruptions and protect patient care.
• Literally, you go into a weight loss clinic, you go to the veterinarian.
• Most people want to limit ultra-processed foods, but struggle to identify them.

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. AB 1825 by Krell would clarify California’s offenders with mental health disorders program by tightening the standard for determining “substantial danger of physical harm,” improving exit planning, and expanding Medi-Cal access for people released after a successful challenge. Supporters, including psychiatrists, prosecutors, and medical groups, said the bill would close gaps in care and protect public safety; county behavioral health directors and Disability Rights California registered concerns. AB 1696 by Stephanie would state that nurse midwives do not need physician supervision when providing care within their existing scope, including EMTALA-related evaluation in labor and delivery settings. Nurse midwives and nursing groups supported the bill, while emergency physicians opposed it unless amended, arguing emergency department screening should remain under physician supervision; the author said she would keep working on the issue. AB 1949 by Lee would make acupuncture a separate Medi-Cal benefit and allow up to 24 visits per year. The author and supporters from acupuncture, health access, and integrative medicine groups said the current monthly cap is too restrictive and that acupuncture is an effective, cost-saving alternative for pain management and other conditions. There was no opposition. AB 2330 by Patterson would create a distinct regulatory category for cold spas, with standards for construction, operation, and disinfection. Fitness and wellness groups supported the bill, environmental health administrators had no formal position but thanked the author for amendments, and a committee member raised concerns about local officials interpreting the bill to require separate enclosures from saunas; the author said she would continue working on the language. AB 2000 by Aguirre-Curry would limit mid-year changes to prescription drug formularies and add notice, exceptions, reporting, and enforcement provisions. Family physicians, chronic care advocates, nurses, pharmacists, and patient groups supported the bill, citing non-medical switching and treatment disruptions; health plans and insurers opposed it, warning of higher costs, reduced flexibility, and premium increases. AB 1929 by Ortega would require health plans to disclose investments, including in private prisons and immigrant detention centers. Supporters framed it as a transparency measure tied to patient premiums and public values, while opponents argued the bill was duplicative, burdensome, and potentially harmful to investment confidentiality. AB 2746 by Schiavo would classify medical credit card debt as medical debt so it would not appear on credit reports. Consumer advocates and legal aid groups supported the bill, describing abusive marketing and housing harms; banks, debt collectors, and industry groups opposed it as unworkable and privacy-invasive. The committee took roll on AB 2746 and passed it on a due pass motion to Banking and Finance, with several members voting aye and a few no votes recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then obviously, biennial budgeting is generally intended to limit budget discussions in the second
• And just by way of background, I think in like '99 and 2000 we were pretty good about limiting it to
• In your examination of other states and in our own case, does this biennial budgeting in some ways limit
• And also with the—oh gosh, it's trying to remember the name of them now—the weights and measures, yes
• It's $700,000 for weights and measures, and another $200,000 for the agencies.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first took up HCR 2047 and the identical companion H.R. 2002, both of which would direct state communications to use the terms Judea and Samaria instead of West Bank and affirm the historical, biblical, and legal legitimacy of those names. The sponsor and several proponents, including Jeff Schwartz, Jason Morris, Rabbi Pinchas Alouche, and Jake Bennett, argued that the language is historically accurate and that “West Bank” is a political term that erases Jewish history. No one testified against either measure. HCR 2047 passed 10-6, and H.R. 2002 passed 11-6, both with due pass recommendations. The committee then heard HB 2554, which would establish a biennial state budget process and biennial capital planning, shifting agencies to submit budget requests every other year and requiring the governor to propose a two-year executive budget. Sponsor Rep. Joseph Chaplik said the bill would make government smaller, more disciplined, and more efficient, reduce long budget sessions, and restore a part-time legislative model. JLBC staff provided historical context on Arizona’s past annual and biennial budgeting systems and noted that second-year budgets are often modified for revenue and caseload changes. Several members raised concerns about legislative leverage, flexibility, and whether the change would be constitutional or practical. The bill received a do-pass recommendation after debate. Next, HB 2014, as amended, would require ADEQ and the Department of Agriculture to study gasoline blend emissions and feasibility for seasonal fuel sales in certain areas, with appropriations for the studies. Sponsor Rep. Lisa Fink said the bill responds to fuel vulnerability in Maricopa County and possible supply disruptions tied to California refinery closures. Some members supported the concept but voted present or no, citing prior stakeholder work, cost, and uncertainty about whether the studies would change outcomes. The amended bill passed with a do-pass recommendation. HB 2180, as amended, appropriated funding for the AZ Reach hospital transfer program; Rep. Julie Willoughby and AZ Reach representatives said it helps rural hospitals transfer patients efficiently and keeps clinicians at the bedside. The committee adopted an amendment reducing the appropriation from $2.5 million to $500,000, and the bill passed with a due pass recommendation after testimony from rural health providers. Finally, HB 2156, as amended, appropriated $250,000 to the livestock compensation fund to help ranchers with wolf depredation losses and conflict-avoidance measures. Game and Fish staff said the existing federal funding is unstable and insufficient, and the state fund helps compensate ranchers in rural Arizona. Some members supported the fund but opposed using general funds, citing budget constraints, transparency concerns, and wildlife conservation priorities. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill with a due pass recommendation. The meeting adjourned after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in that case, that data should be removed or time-limited from disclosure. Thank you, Mr.
• He can carry a lot of weight. I know. Yeah, yeah, I called everybody else. Okay.
• So it’s not talking about the weight of the pills.
• It’s talking about the weight of fentanyl collectively in the pills.
• “That, oh, we’re going to be going by sheer weight of the pills, kind of falls apart.

Summary: The committee began with lengthy testimony and affidavits criticizing the Arizona State Bar, with speakers alleging selective discipline, due process problems, and retaliation against attorneys who take controversial cases. Committee members questioned the witnesses and discussed whether the bar and court system properly oversee attorney discipline, but no action was taken on that testimony. The committee then considered several election-related bills. SB 1037 would impose stricter security requirements on voting and tabulating equipment, including no internet access, tamper-proof seals, chain-of-custody documentation, nonstop video at accounting centers, and criminal penalties for violations; it passed 4-2 with one not voting. SB 1038 would require rapid public release of cast vote records, but an amendment changed the timing and transmission process; the amended bill passed 4-2 with one not voting. SB 1040 would expand public access to voter registration rolls through an internet portal and a read-only format; it also passed 4-2 with one not voting. The committee next approved SB 1039, which would allow attorneys who prevail in bar discipline matters to seek damages for reputational harm and lost earnings; it passed 4-2 with one not voting after extensive discussion about bar procedures, interim suspension, and whether attorneys can practice while under investigation. SB 1053, reducing concealed carry permit fees for Arizona residents, passed 4-2 with one not voting. SB 1057, requiring ballot paper fraud-countermeasure features, also passed 4-2 with one not voting. SB 1060, removing a voting exemption for U.S. citizens who have never resided in the United States, passed 3-2 with two not voting. The committee then heard SB 1061, which would lower the fentanyl threshold for enhanced sentencing from 200 grams to 9 grams; testimony focused on whether the bill would sweep in users as well as dealers, but the transcript ends before a vote is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It sets limitations and guidelines for investment in distribution electric generation.
• It modifies the scope of capacity and limitations for community solar projects, which includes expanding
• the from 100 kilowatts to<00:19:44.880><c> 500</c><00:19:45.280><c> kilowatts</c><00:19:46.240><c> limit
• and then the 6 to to 500 kilowatts limit and then the 6 to 12<00:19:48.640><c> um</c><00:19:48.880><
• You know, Senator Pearl, I think given the weight of this issue that it just might be helpful to have

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> range limitations, range limitations, and<00:36:42.000><c> the</c><00:36:42.240><c> time</c><00
• ; some do a combination of weight and value and all those things.
• based because obviously that weight based because obviously that weight<00:48:18.880><c> is</c><00:48
• ><c> and</c> do a combination of weight and value and do a combination of weight and value and all<00
• I think idea of the weight-based fee.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Some of the things that we addressed were weight limits on the bill.
• </c><00:10:44.720><c> limits</c><00:10:45.040><c> on</c><00:10:45.200><c> the</c><00:10:45.360><c> bill
• </c><00:10:46.240><c> Um</c> were uh weight limits on the bill.
• Um were uh weight limits on the bill.
• So we put a weight limit in there to about 10,000.

Summary: House Republicans held a Transportation Committee press event to promote several bills they said would make driving cheaper and transportation more innovative. The main measures discussed were House File 3526, which would reduce vehicle tab fees; House File 3513, which would legalize automated driverless vehicles with regulatory guardrails; and a bill to consolidate metro-area bus operations and reduce administrative overhead and subsidies. They also said other transportation-related bills, including a school bus stop-arm clarification and a distracted-driving bill, were scheduled for the House floor on Monday. Representative Patti Anderson argued that Minnesota vehicle registration fees have become unaffordable, citing examples of high costs for newer and older vehicles, and said the state should roll fees back to pre-2023/2024 levels. On automated vehicles, Republicans said the bill had been revised after concerns from committee members, MnDOT, and stakeholders, adding a weight limit to avoid autonomous trucking, accessibility provisions for wheelchair users, a U.S.-based support person requirement, a labor/economic/congestion study, and tighter permitting. They said the bill should advance to the next committee and rejected delaying implementation for further study. On transit, Republicans said the metro has too many separate bus systems and that consolidation would save taxpayer money by cutting redundant service and administrative costs. They cited high per-ride subsidies and claimed combined reserve funds and reduced waste could save tens of millions of dollars. In questions, they defended using general-fund dollars for transportation, said the system benefits all residents, and argued that autonomous vehicles and related industries would create new opportunities even if some driving jobs are displaced. No formal votes were taken in the press event, though the speakers said they expected committee action on the automated-vehicle bill and that other bills would move to the floor or other committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• The objective here is that using the weight of the pills is not accurate.
• Someone— the objective here is that using the weight of the pills is not accurate.
• I'm giving you an answer, which I'm limited. I don't want to say what I'm not involved with.
• I'm giving you an answer, which I'm limited. I don't want to say what I'm not involved with.
• It adds the internet statute limitation of one year from removal.

Bills: SB1039 , SB1061 , SB1068 , SB1069 , SB1099 , SB1127 , SB1148 , SB1271 , SB1426 , SB1448

Committees: House Judiciary , House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Keywords: attorney discipline, legal costs, reputation damage, state bar, court costs, fentanyl, drug offenses, narcotic drugs, criminal penalties, Arizona Revised Statutes, educational institutions, public order, disruption, concealed weapons, safety regulations, firearms, muffling devices, weapon regulations, Arizona law, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• And just to note, the limited Okay. Thank you.
• And just to note, the limited data that was collected in the past was made available.
• Even the limited data that was available to assess safety.
• Please just line up here and limit your comments.
• Please just line up here and limit your comments to as briefly as you can.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas the previous slide included property tax revenues, this slide is limited to state aid.
• know the the the strength or the weight of<00:34:42.919><c> one</c><00:34:43.200><c> program</c><00:
• </c> of one program decreases and the weight of one program decreases and the weight of<00:34:45.359>
• Think of adjusted pupil units as a weighted head count, meaning we assign more weight in the count to
• It's because they don't enroll any secondary students, who are weighted higher in the calculation.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• The demographic reality of Minnesota's baby boomers aging out of the workforce and the assumed limits
• Also in the Health and Human Services line, we're projecting higher utilization of weight loss drugs
• </c><00:43:02.559><c> loss</c> 80 to9 million increase for weight loss 80 to9 million increase for weight
• So what's the average cost to a medical assistance person we're paying for their weight-loss drugs?
• Thank you. paying for for their weight weight loss paying for for their weight weight loss drugs<00:45

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also sets the vehicle license tax for an ATV or OHV that has an unladen weight between 2,500
• The bill also sets the vehicle license tax for an ATV or OHV that has an unladen weight between 2,500
• fee is always bringing everybody together, the weight limit, but like we'll talk about more, and the
• Right, no matter what the weight is.
• It's under all that weight on everything you want to... yeah, go. So it waits on the mic.

Committee: Joint Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• instructed committee's reports: The committee print does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited
• tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of House Rule 21.
• The committee print does not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
• I rise for the American people struggling under the weight of the largest tax increase on the middle
• THAT WILL LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO FULLY EXPERIENCE THE AMERICAN DREAM.

Bills: HB1969 , HB1701 , HR1 , HR435 , SJR31 , HR436

Keywords: veterans, VA, Department of Veterans Affairs, suicide prevention, mental health, emergent suicide care, Columbia Protocol, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act, title 38, adaptive prostheses, prosthetic devices, recreational activities, sports prosthetics, pension payments, veterans benefits, Veterans Affairs Committee, suicide screening, crisis care

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:15:41.920><c> list</c><01:15:42.159><c> management</c> for weight list management for weight
• :37:13.920><c> list</c> moving along, the weight list moving along, the weight list &gt;&gt; again,<01
• </c> we go through the current weight list. we go through the current weight list.
• Can you make that weight in eight? Can you make that determination?
• </c><01:42:50.239><c> list</c> 2468, wait your fa phase weight list 2468, wait your fa phase weight list

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board’s fourth meeting focused primarily on a presentation from University of Kentucky and University of Louisville health leaders about the state university directed payment program. Mark Birdwhistle and Ken Marshall described the program as a long-running, value-based Medicaid arrangement that began in 2019, uses university-provided matching funds rather than provider taxes, and ties a portion of payments to quality outcomes. They said the program has improved measures such as tobacco cessation, diabetes control, depression screening, and cancer screening, while supporting access to specialty care, medical education, and workforce training. They also emphasized that Kentucky’s model is nationally notable and has helped improve health rankings and generate cost savings. A major topic was the federal reconciliation bill signed July 4, which the presenters said will reduce directed payments by 10% annually for 10 years beginning in 2028. UL Health estimated a first-year loss of about $75 million and a cumulative loss of about $600 million over the decade; UK estimated about $100 million in the first year, for a combined first-year impact of roughly $175 million. Both speakers warned the cuts could affect access to care, training capacity, and the sustainability of Kentucky’s value-based model, though they expressed hope that congressional action could alter or delay the changes. They also noted that 340B drug pricing changes could further strain already thin operating margins, but did not provide exact figures during the meeting. Committee members responded positively to the program’s reported outcomes and the institutions’ role in Kentucky health care. Senator Berg praised the quality of care and shared a personal example of being advised to stay at UofL for breast cancer treatment. Representative Moer highlighted Kentucky’s strong cancer-control score and asked for more explanation of the value-based payment structure; the presenters said the system is built around ongoing measurement, accountability, and collaboration with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the amended August 27 minutes by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• All testifiers who have signed up in advance have been provided with a time limit for testimony.
• Please adhere to these time limits or we may have to cut you off so we can hear from as many people as
• They are posted online, and there are some limited copies in the front and, of course, they're in the
• All testifiers who have signed up in advance have been provided with a time limit for testimony.
• All testifiers who have signed up in advance have been provided with a time limit for testimony.

Bills: HF2354 , HF3407 , HF4359 , HF4192 , HF3356 , HF3695 , HF1597 , HF3155 , HF3871 , HF4437 , HF4446 , HF3990

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical assistance, fraud prevention, subpoena authority, criminal penalties, consumer protection, ghost guns, unserialized firearms, 3D-printed guns, 3D printer firearms, CNC milling, home-built firearms, firearm serialization, serial numbers, unfinished frame, unfinished receiver, ghost gun ban, gun control, firearm design files, CAD files, digital gun blueprints

Transcript Highlights:

• , 'I'm gaining weight, and I'm getting my life back together.'
• It's also important to note that this is based on weight, and weight is the total amount of the drug
• confiscated, but fentanyl maybe is a small fraction of that weight.
• We will be talking and trying to figure out the best way to limit this, if your goal is to limit the
• And trying to figure out the best way to limit this.

Bills: HB2043 , HB2046 , HB2126 , HB2131 , HB2132 , HB2133 , HB2223 , HB2265 , HB2411 , HB2666

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Elections

Keywords: felony murder, unborn child, homicide, Arizona Revised Statutes, life imprisonment, death penalty, education, funding, school districts, state aid, education reform, venue, employee conflict, superior court, legal proceedings, workplace disputes, weapons, explosives, trafficking, firearm regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no limitation.
• </c> meaningful limits. meaningful limits.
• There's no limitation.
• </c> mixture as long as the weight mixture as long as the weight requirement<01:35:46.320><c> has</c>
• But now it's the time to of weight.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It still has limitations. Every model does.
• And then there's been very limited testing of that model in terms of the shocks to that system.
• If there is no posted speed limit on a county road in our state, the default speed limit is 50 miles
• The counties don't go out and post 50-mile-per-hour speed limit signs on every road they have.
• We talked about height and weight restrictions, I think, as well.

Committees: Joint Transportation , Joint Joint Transportation Committee

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and its consultant described the study as focused on transportation mitigation, not on whether dam removal should occur. They outlined geologic risk work on drawdown and erosion, identified vulnerable embankments and nearby roads, rail, and utilities, and explained a total logistics cost model used to compare base conditions and several future scenarios. Those scenarios included no-dam conditions with new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, a combined “many solutions” scenario, and a future scenario still to be defined. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could test reduced grain volumes; staff said the model can estimate transportation changes and costs, but not broader farm-economics impacts. WSU’s independent review said the model had improved but still had limitations in spatial detail, routing accuracy, and testing, and that stakeholder engagement remained important though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received an update on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Consultants said the study is in its early information-gathering phase, with a statewide survey of cities and counties, interviews, national research, and legal review of possible funding mechanisms. They described current sidewalk funding as fragmented, with grants, transportation benefit districts, levies, and some utility-tax allocations used in Washington, but no dedicated statewide source. They said the study is especially examining a possible sidewalk utility fee, while parcel taxes appear unlikely under Washington’s property-tax rules. Members asked whether any new mechanism would duplicate existing taxes, how a sidewalk fee would be collected, and whether development requirements for sidewalks count as dedicated funding; the consultants said the study is aimed at expanding local options rather than mandating adoption. Deliverables include a preliminary draft by mid-December, a “Sidewalks 101” document by year-end, and a final report by mid-June next year. The committee also heard a brief update on the ocean-going vessels at berth emissions study. Staff explained that the report is nearing completion and will be presented at the next JTC meeting. They highlighted federal Clean Air Act constraints, noting that Washington’s options are shaped by California’s waiver-based standards and that deviations from California’s vessel-at-berth rules could invite litigation. Staff said stakeholder outreach is underway and asked for any missing participants to be identified before the final report is issued. Finally, the committee began hearing from county representatives on local transportation challenges. The county engineers’ association emphasized ongoing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs, but the presentation was cut off as the meeting moved on to the next item.