Transcript Highlights:

• The video playing today highlights many from the IIJA in Georgia for maintenance to large capital projects
• addition to the foundational investments, IIJA has supported major capital projects like shown on this video
• It's great to see these large projects in the video but I like to remind people that a rural bridge may
• encourage each of you and your staff to talk to a contractor in your state. or a trade association and go visit
• It's always a very great visit.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Keywords: Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, IIJA, bipartisan infrastructure, funding flexibility, NEPA, environmental reviews, bureaucratic delays, federal funding, infrastructure investment

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, discussing the ongoing implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Chairman Capito highlighted the bipartisan nature of the legislation and the necessity of refining existing provisions to ensure effective delivery of transportation projects. Notable emphasis was placed on the need for flexibility in funding to address inflation impacts and delays caused by bureaucratic hurdles, especially relating to environmental reviews under NEPA. Witnesses from state transportation agencies provided valuable insights into real-world challenges faced in project execution, ultimately underscoring the importance of continuous federal support for infrastructure development. The discussion also touched on the broader implications of federal funding freezes by the previous administration, which have reportedly hindered several ongoing and planned projects. This issue raised significant concern among committee members, who urged the need for reliable funding and the removal of unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that could cause delays in project implementation. The meeting concluded with a commitment from the members to work collaboratively to overcome these challenges and ensure a smooth path forward for critical infrastructure investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Happy to see some familiar faces today, and a couple of sheriffs I've visited with recently, and the
• We can't play the video here, but we have the microsite, which shows that.
• This includes the things I just mentioned, but also video content as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I would visit all these small know.
• </c><01:47:03.360><c> of</c> I'll make sure they see the video of I'll make sure they see the video of
• </c><02:10:01.599><c> and</c> letters and town halls and videos and letters and town halls and videos
• </c><02:17:00.160><c> and</c> and deeper into social media videos and and deeper into social media videos
• </c> visits me at the rostroom. visits me at the rostroom.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since then, we've had over 7,000 views of our videos, the highest ones being child support and family
• When we stop an unlawful eviction, we also avoid the cost of shelter, emergency room visits, and school
• I mean, Senator Richardson has visited our self-help center.
• I mean, Senator Richardson has visited our self-help center in Compton.
• My next question is: Do you provide information on parental visitation and divorce proceedings and all

Transcript Highlights:

• In some cases, it is transportation to and from a medical visit.
• Then Secretary Shire came in and visited with us, and we got really rolling. ...came up there and visited
• When we do those home visits, that is part of the assessment.
• So, in the first year, it showed that 70% had no ER visits, 95% no nursing home visits, and 85% reported
• Um, thank you so much for allowing me to appear by video.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee first heard an Aging and Long-Term Services Department budget presentation comparing the LFC and executive recommendations. The main differences were in the Aging Network, Adult Protective Services, Program Support, and Long-Term Care Division, especially the executive’s proposed $10 million infusion into the Kiki Savadra Senior Dignity Fund and $6.2 million for expanding New Mexico Care. LFC staff explained that the committee recommendation was lower in general fund and fund-balance use, while the executive emphasized rising senior population needs, meal and transportation costs, and the cost savings of keeping older adults at home. The secretary also reviewed the department’s special requests, including the conference on aging, outreach, emergency preparedness, and the Kiki fund, and described New Mexico Care’s growth, its evaluation results, and the department’s plan to separate Kiki into its own accounting fund. Members largely focused on senior services, rural meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, and the Kiki fund. Several members urged stronger support for non-metro aging providers and for New Mexico Care, citing its role in keeping seniors out of nursing homes and the program’s reported savings and outcomes. Questions also covered eligibility, background checks for caregivers, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer’s screening, and whether Kiki funds can support home modifications such as ramps. The committee then voted to adopt the LFC recommendation with one executive language change: adding the executive’s page 14 language allowing an additional 12.5% distribution for initial payments to aging network providers at the start of FY27. Representative Dow opposed the motion. The committee then moved to the Attorney General’s budget. LFC staff explained that the office’s budget relies heavily on the Consumer Settlement Fund, with both recommendations reducing general fund revenue while increasing settlement-fund use, and that performance measures were in consensus. The Attorney General said the office was not seeking more general fund, but wanted greater ability to use funds it recovers. He highlighted major consumer and public safety work, including litigation against major social media and AI platforms, a case involving Snapchat and child exploitation/extortion, the statewide crime gun intelligence center, efforts to address oilfield theft, work on missing and murdered Indigenous persons, and efforts to protect federal funds coming into New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• People can't tell deepfake videos from real videos.
• Correct and they view it on the phone or they view it in video porn and then the problem is and I hate
• Yes. on the spot, nor did any of us, but the problem is because they. can't climax on the video anymore
• I think when we start taking the very people who have experience with this off the video.
• We'll also point out, I had some folks address, come to me and visit with me about concerns about. a

Bills: HB32 , HB15 , HB171 , HB421 , HB581 , HB644 , HB745 , HB349 , HB917 , HB204 , HB923 , HB15 , HB171 , HB204

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, committee, next we have Fred Bernbaum on video.
• Okay, committee, next we have Fred Bernbaum on video. Let me see if I can get this up. You know.
• They're going to have to go out and visit people.
• They're going to have to go out and visit people.
• I went out and visited, was it Weiser? And I saw that hospital.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of our law enforcement officers are now having body cams, and obviously video cameras are much more
• and uh communication skills visitation and uh communication skills through<00:57:36.119><c> uh</c><00
• :57:36.240><c> video</c><00:57:36.640><c> contacts</c><00:57:37.039><c> that</c><00:57:37.160><c> are
• </c> through uh video contacts that are through uh video contacts that are supervised<00:57:37.839><c
• A lot of the arraignments are being done by video, and you have to have an attorney.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• promotion and education department that provides resources like lesson plans, books, and classroom visits
• We have a website with videos. It's all accredited to national and state standards.
• promotion and education department that provides resources like lesson plans, books, and classroom visits
• We have a website with videos. It's all accredited to national and state standards.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues met with a quorum and heard testimony on several measures focused on agriculture, broadband, public health administration, and utility eminent domain. Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1383, sponsored by Senator Barbara Washington, would expand a DESE agricultural education pilot program from 20 schools to allow voluntary K-12 agriculture curriculum statewide. Washington said the bill builds on a successful pilot and is intended to help students understand agriculture as a STEM field and broader community issue. Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri N.A., Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, and Missouri Pork Association all testified in support; there was no opposition, and the hearing closed without a vote. The committee also heard House Concurrent Resolution 38 from Representative Louis Riggs, which urges that Missouri’s broadband funding remain in the state and be used for deployment. Riggs said Missouri received $1.7 billion in broadband funding but that more than half had been cut or left uncertain, and he argued the money should stay in Missouri to bridge the digital divide. Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Electric Cooperatives supported the resolution, and there was no opposition testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 1699 from Representative Maisie Christensen, a constituent-driven bill to clarify when county health officers/directors’ authority ends if they are not reappointed. Christensen explained the bill addresses ambiguity in older statutes governing different county public health structures; no witnesses testified for or against the bill. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2169 from Representative Brad Pollitt, which would bar electrical corporations from using eminent domain for wind or solar generation facilities while still allowing grid connection. Pollitt and Farm Bureau argued the bill closes a loophole and protects landowners from having property taken for large renewable projects; Missouri Soybean Association and Missouri Corn Growers Association also supported the measure. Ameren testified for informational purposes only, saying it has no plans to use eminent domain for wind or solar and appreciates the grid-connection language. Several members debated whether the bill should also address nuclear energy or broader utility siting concerns, and one witness noted transmission and battery-storage limitations as reasons renewable projects are not built everywhere. The hearing on HB 2169 closed with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• promotion and education department that provides resources like lesson plans, books, and classroom visits
• We have a website with videos. It's all accredited to national and state standards.
• promotion and education department that provides resources like lesson plans, books, and classroom visits
• We have a website with videos. It's all accredited to national and state standards.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Transcript Highlights:

• I WILL PLAY A QUICK VIDEO.
• BY CONSERVING AGRICULTURAL LAND AS YOU SAW THE VIDEO WE ARE CONSERVING HABITAT.
• YOU CAN GO VISIT US AND TORE ALL THE TIME.
• THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. >> COME VISIT US ANY TIME.

Transcript Highlights:

• Turn on your video, and when you are called to speak, turn on your audio.
• there, I visited their Capitol.
• I like visiting state capitals. And they have an interesting story in Oklahoma City.
• Senator Elias, for coming and visiting us.
• I think this is already an icon that people like to visit.

Bills: SB6313

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: Capitol Centennial Stewardship, funding, gifts, grants, donations, legislative support

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this something that we need to go visit with a particular legislator about?
• Is this something that we need to go visit with a particular legislator about?
• go visit with a particular<01:15:24.640><c> legislator</c><01:15:25.199><c> about?
• I'm able to people around the videos.
• Saying that I will not play that video in court, in an open forum, unless it is redacted.

Transcript Highlights:

• What else is in that video? What else is in that body cam video? Does it have anything?
• All video and all audio recordings...
• And what else is in those videos? And what else is in those videos?
• What about the other people in those videos? Are there other people in those videos?
• Are there children in those videos? Is there evidence in those videos?

Transcript Highlights:

• Talked about consumers not going to visit their farm. I want to encourage people to do that.
• If you would like to know where your milk is from, go visit the farm.
• When I have my Well Woman visit every year, I receive a panel of tests.
• In fact, I visited with you about another program that I won't sully your record with, Mr.
• I have time to visit with you prior to.

Bills: HB3000 , HB2622 , HB2283 , HB541 , HB1776 , HB1803 , HB1669 , HB2588 , HB220 , HB3415 , HB50 , HB1314 , HB 107 , HB220 , HB50 , HB107

Committee: House Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• corporate office, and we have one individual who is in Missouri, travels all over the place, and visits
• I can send you, I can email you videos and pictures while I sit in the chair after I speak.
• Of myself, my youngest daughter, my staff visiting breeders, I have sent these videos to my...
• I mean, it's a lot of hours of video.
• I will say that I frequently have visited shelters and...

Bills: HB74 , HB175 , HB460 , HB576 , HB2271 , HB2294 , HB2874 , HB3016 , HB3133 , HB3191 , HB3458 , HB3929 , HB4063 , HB4115 , HB4394 , HB74 , HB175

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• L&I, or the self-insured employer, pays for that initial visit even when the claim is denied.
• Routine office visits—I think the first 20 visits in 60 days are just automatically going to be covered
• X-rays, the first 12, PT or occupational therapy visits, routine labs, emergency care, consults—these
• They look at certain selected outpatient surgeries, more than actually, I think, 18 visits of PT and
• After some back-and-forth about pronunciation and video, he began: "Thank you, Chair Saldaña and all

Summary: The committee first received an update from the Attorney General’s office on a new workers’ rights unit and two request bills. The office said the unit will focus on wage theft and civil rights enforcement, using existing resources for a small staff. It also described a bill to expand civil investigative demand authority for labor, wage theft, prevailing wage, and discrimination investigations, and an Immigrant Worker Protection Act that would require employer notice when federal immigration authorities request employee records, limit access to nonpublic work areas without a warrant, and restrict disclosure of employee data without proper legal process. Senators asked about costs, funding sources, and the scope of the proposed authority, and the office said it would follow up with more detail. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on Washington’s workers’ compensation system from Labor and Industries, including how claims are filed, how the medical provider network works, and how treatment authorizations and utilization review are handled. L&I said the network was created to improve care quality and return workers to work, and explained that most routine care is automatically authorized while certain procedures require prior approval or review. A question from Senator Conway focused on the role of the medical director and the appeals process; L&I said decisions can be protested and reconsidered, with exceptions reviewed through a complex treatment unit and medical staff. An experience panel followed with testimony from labor representatives, physicians, and an injured-worker attorney, who argued that the medical provider network and treatment guidelines can delay or deny needed care, especially in complex cases such as PTSD, brain injuries, and serious orthopedic injuries. They described long appeals, utilization review barriers, provider shortages, and the impact on injured workers and families, while L&I’s presentation emphasized the system’s structure and review safeguards. The committee then heard a report from the Underground Economy Task Force in the construction industry. L&I summarized the task force’s findings on worker misclassification, unregistered contractors, and unpaid taxes and premiums, and outlined consensus and majority recommendations, including better interagency communication, stronger penalties for repeat offenders, more authority to address successorship, possible contractor notice requirements, and further study of cash payments. The Attorney General’s office, labor, and business representatives generally supported the report’s goals but differed on some recommendations, especially those affecting independent contractors, contractor liability, and administrative burdens. The chair and Senator Conway thanked participants and said the report would inform future legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Earlier this month I visited the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson, Texas, about three hours outside
• For years, members of Congress could visit unannounced.
• When I visited, 1,079 people were being detained at Bluebonnet; nearly 700 of them, almost two-thirds
• I invite everyone to visit the museum in Anaheim and celebrate this great culture. Thank you, Mr.
• The video posted on X, they... ...blamed Charlie Kirk for his own murder.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can imagine, if you saw some of the video earlier, the topography just does not lend itself to
• have a commercial building that was supposed to be a vacation rental for people to stay out to go visit
• have a commercial building that was supposed to be a vacation rental for people to stay out to go visit
• You know, they really depend on people visiting the park, especially in the summertime.
• I'll be keeping my video muted because I'm in a very remote area.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee began with a work session on the Fairfax Carbon River SR-165 Bridge closure and replacement. Wilkeson Mayor Jamie Pololi described the bridge as a long-neglected state asset whose closure cut off a gateway community from Mount Rainier access, hurt local businesses and municipal revenue, complicated emergency response, and severed access to public lands. Pierce County’s Melissa Littleton emphasized that the Fairfax closure, along with recent bridge closures from other causes, shows the need for stronger preservation and modernization funding. WSDOT’s Steve Rourke explained that the 105-year-old bridge was permanently closed after structural failure, that a detour route on private property is now the only access for some residents, and that the agency’s planning study considered seven alternatives; the current recommendation is to continue geotechnical work and NEPA review, with construction likely taking 24 months or more once a design is finalized. Committee members asked about detour distance, speeding up the project, emergency authority, historic-preservation issues, community mitigation, and funding needs; WSDOT said about $7 million in existing preservation funds has already been used and more will be needed. The committee then heard public testimony on proposed substitute Senate Bill 5987, which would declare the Fairfax Bridge closure an emergency, direct WSDOT to restore SR-165 access as soon as possible, and give the transportation secretary some emergency authorities. Supporters, including the mayor, residents, recreation advocates, and trail groups, said the bill is needed because the closure was foreseeable, has harmed local economies and recreation access, and lacks a current emergency response pathway. WSDOT testified in opposition, warning that the bill could create false expectations because most of the timeline is driven by federal environmental review and historic-preservation requirements that the secretary cannot waive. The bill drew strong support in testimony, with 606 pro, 1 con, and 2 other recorded on the sign-in tally. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6170, which would raise dollar thresholds for state highway work performed by state forces and for certain contracting rules that help small and disadvantaged businesses compete. Staff said the limits have not been updated since 2005 and the bill would increase the normal state-force threshold from $60,000 to $100,000 and the emergency threshold from $100,000 to $160,000. Senator King, the prime sponsor, said the change would better match inflation and help keep maintenance work in-house when appropriate. Washington Federation of State Employees and WSDOT supported the bill, saying it would help maintenance workers do more timely work without harming existing equity and small-business contracting programs; the committee noted 55 pro and no con on the sign-in tally. The chair then reminded members that amendment requests for the upcoming executive session were due the next day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Start with visiting members and allow them to lay their bills out.
• If you did not get a chance to register and you're visiting today, you can see our committee staff to
• Finally, there's an over. flow hearing room for those visiting if we proceed through the hearing and
• Galvan Galvan Steve Swanson Noah Joe Jones If you find the video useful, please like, share the video

Bills: SB207 , SB611 , SB920 , SB1174 , SB1207 , SB1325 , SB1396 , SB1551 , SB1619

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16