Transcript Highlights:

• The way that expenses are apportioned based on funds that are invested.
• The way that expenses<00:04:42.880><c> are</c><00:04:43.040><c> apportioned</c><00:04:43.640><c> based
• </c><00:04:43.919><c> on</c><00:04:44.040><c> funds</c> expenses are apportioned based on funds expenses
• are apportioned based on funds that<00:04:44.520><c> are</c><00:04:44.680><c> invested.
• </c><00:30:15.680><c> sets</c> accounting for their unique skill sets accounting for their unique skill

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal disaster funding is reimbursement-based and compliance-driven.
• What the commission has largely done is use its workshop skills to build collaborative workshops, and
• , I would think, and some writing skills.
• A lot of those are project-based, like Hannah was highlighting.
• It's based on that current market study that we're saying $150 million.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :55.120><c> threshold</c> suggest a health-based uh threshold suggest a health-based uh threshold established
• </c><04:41:51.440><c> The</c> no recourse with fishing game. The no recourse with fishing game.
• </c><05:12:32.000><c> animals,</c> attacks or press on game animals, attacks or press on game animals
• The fishing game is giving me them.
• Um, and we game on. We're out of here.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Up first from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Colonel Hankey, Joint Base Garrison Commander.
• I'm the Joint Base Garrison Commander for Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
• As the largest Army-led joint base, Joint Base Lewis-McChord remains central to ensuring readiness and
• I mentioned earlier, Joe Base, Louis McCord, is now having mobile food units come on to base to serve
• We have 641 on-base houses.

Summary: The committee heard updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Navy Region Northwest, Fairchild Air Force Base, the Coast Guard, state licensing agencies, the Professional Educator Standards Board, the Washington National Guard, and a veterans behavioral health presenter. Across the military briefings, common themes were readiness, infrastructure, and quality-of-life issues for service members and families, especially child care, housing, food insecurity, medical and dental access, and military spouse employment. JBLM highlighted its role in Indo-Pacific readiness, ongoing PFAS cleanup, 212 new family housing units under construction, efforts to expand child care, and continued work to keep the Lewis Army Museum open. Navy Region Northwest discussed its major installations and economic impact, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, future carrier and submarine homeporting needs, and asked the legislature to continue support for licensure compacts, educational stability for military children, housing, and medical access. Fairchild emphasized its tanker and survival missions, child care shortages, food insecurity, aging housing, and concerns about wind turbine development near flight paths, while the Coast Guard focused on rebuilding Base Seattle for new icebreakers and on rural access to housing, medical care, and child care at dispersed stations like Neah Bay. Members repeatedly raised food insecurity and asked for follow-up on solutions. JBLM and Fairchild both described increased demand for food assistance during the shutdown, and committee members noted progress in getting mobile food vans onto JBLM. The presenters also praised state action on military spouse licensure and child care, including Senate Bill 5545 and related compact and portability efforts. The Department of Licensing reported about 9,000 self-identified military members or spouses licensed, with average time-to-license just under nine days, and said applications are prioritized when military status is self-identified. The Department of Health said its military-to-civilian crosswalk now covers more than 35 health professions, that temporary practice permits and expedited processing are in place, and that 1,300 credentials were issued to military spouses and domestic partners and 129 to military-trained health professionals in the last fiscal year, all within 30 days. The Professional Educator Standards Board explained that military spouses and service members can receive expedited teacher certification with reduced documentation, and that they are moved to the front of the review queue when they self-identify. Members asked about verification, and staff said the process relies on attestation with investigatory safeguards if needed. The Washington National Guard briefed on its dual state and federal mission, the impact of the recent shutdown on nearly 700 employees who worked without pay, and policy and budget requests including youth academy protections, alignment of the Washington Code of Military Justice with the UCMJ, making Civil Air Patrol a division of the Military Department, 911 funding, disaster assistance, and capital funding for headquarters and readiness facilities. The Guard also warned about drone threats and said it wants authority to identify, track, and monitor suspicious drones. A veterans behavioral health presenter, an Army combat veteran and clinical social worker, described high suicide risk, barriers to care, and the need for more culturally competent services, especially for women veterans and caregivers. He said Washington veterans’ suicide rate remains above the national average and emphasized that childcare, transportation, and provider shortages can prevent timely treatment. Members generally responded supportively throughout, asked for follow-up on food security and other issues, and encouraged agencies to bring forward legislative ideas for future sessions.

Transcript Highlights:

• correlation it's roughly based on everybody's body is different.
• So..." ...hang out to watch an Alabama football game. So, let me ask you another question.
• But I'll tell you, based on my own personal experience, there are dozens and dozens... ...of Alabama
• It eliminates access to safe and effective hemp-based products for thousands of...
• Hemp-based products for thousands of Alabamians.

Bills: SB274

Committee: Senate Children and Youth Health

Keywords: cannabis, psychoactive cannabinoids, CBD, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, delta-10 THC, criminal penalties, youth protection, medical cannabis, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They can change schools based on an academic choice as much as they would like.
• And then ELCs and RCMA reimburse SR contractor providers monthly based on attendance. Okay.
• And so what we do in the state of Florida is pay providers based on attendance rather than enrollment
• We am state of Florida is pay providers based on attendance rather than enrollment.
• And then a payment can be made out based on that verified attendance.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and first heard House Bill 731, which would address coach and extracurricular sponsor compensation and change how student-athlete transfer eligibility is determined. The bill would allow local school boards to adopt policies letting booster clubs or similar associations support coaches and activity sponsors, and it would let superintendents treat certain coaches and athletic leaders as administrative personnel for compensation purposes. It would also shift eligibility decisions for transferred student-athletes to the governing athletic association and require clearer bylaws and timelines for those determinations. Members raised questions about booster club oversight, pay equity, the new athletic administrator language, and safeguards against abuse or unequal treatment, while supporters argued the bill would help retain coaches and better support student athletics. The bill was debated and then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then received presentations from the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning and the Florida Association of Early Learning Coalitions on school readiness fraud prevention and mitigation. Speakers explained that Florida’s school readiness program pays providers based on verified attendance rather than enrollment, requires daily parent sign-in/sign-out records, and uses multiple layers of oversight including coalition anti-fraud plans, annual audits, programmatic monitoring, DCF inspections, and referrals to state fraud investigators when needed. They emphasized that Florida delayed implementation of a federal rule that would have required prospective enrollment-based payments, and said the state’s current system makes fraud difficult. Members asked about military and grandparent guardianship situations, audit findings, and the number of fraud referrals; presenters said fraud cases are relatively limited and that the existing controls and public enforcement act as deterrents. The meeting ended after members thanked the presenters and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Throughout the game, Avian De Rosa could be heard from first base yelling to his teammates a powerful
• Throughout the game, Avian De Rosa could be heard from first base yelling to his teammates a powerful

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and adopted a resolution congratulating Jean M. Bubon on her retirement after 21 years of service to the town of Sturbridge. The chamber then took up several House bills and a House amendment to Senate No. 2916 on campaign finance reporting for statewide ballot questions; the Senate voted not to concur in the House amendment and requested a committee of conference, with conferees appointed. The Senate passed to be engrossed a series of local bills, including measures concerning police civil service exemptions in Leicester, town administrator powers in Carlisle, transfer of land in Marion, property tax classifications in Watertown, and a disability pension matter for Ms. Rodriguez in Springfield, which was amended on the floor before passage. It also adopted an amendment to a Belmont alcohol licensing bill to clarify seating requirements as otherwise permitted by law, then passed that bill to be engrossed. The Senate recognized the Seekonk High School Varsity Baseball Team for winning the Division 4 state championship, with remarks praising the team, coaches, and families. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer a Plymouth lease petition to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Finally, the Senate enacted two bills—one dedicating park and field space in South Boston and another allowing the Dalton Fire District to continue employing an interim fire chief—and then adopted an order to meet again in formal session the following Wednesday at 1 p.m. before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I strongly believe the team-based model of care is the best model.
• Team-based model is the best model for medicine.
• That is a team-based approach, and that includes physicians and PAs.
• I mean, again, I believe that we should be team-based.
• They run small businesses, as all of you know, based on your constituents.

Committee: House Professional Registration and Licensing

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As mentioned, these are your skilled workers, your...
• Based on the recent job growth we've had, it's about 23,000.
• And that's based on case law in Georgia O'Keeffe Museum v.
• It is in an area that could pay higher property taxes based on the use.
• Based on the use.

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So what we tried to do, based upon our understanding from the discussion at the last hearing, is distill
• But currently, right now, based on how it works, our gaming division issues notices of violation to the
• should receive the exact same amount of due process, regardless of the violation that is found by the gaming
• What it starts out as is a finding by the agency that says, based on our research and our investigation

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on Senate Bill 2224 and reviewed the latest Legislative Council draft, version 1006, which incorporated prior changes including the Christensen amendment, the executive session language, and a 30-day deadline for the Attorney General to issue an order. The Attorney General’s office then explained its proposed amendment, which would clarify that hearings could be held under existing administrative hearing procedures, apply the same process to all violations, and preserve the current appeal structure. The office also raised concerns about the bill’s requirement that hearings be video recorded and broadcast live, noting possible technology and budget limitations. Representative Koppelman responded that the purpose of the bill was to ensure a timely, transparent process and avoid long delays before a sanctioned party could get to court, arguing that the Legislative Council draft better addressed due process concerns. Representative Henderson agreed and said the draft version improved transparency and established a clearer timeline. During discussion, a cross-reference in the appeal section was identified as incorrect and was corrected to refer to Section 28-32-49 rather than Chapter 28-27, with clarification that the appeal path should remain tied to the Attorney General’s administrative determination. The committee then amended the motion to include the corrected cross-reference and approved the Legislative Council version 1006 as amended. The vote was unanimous, and the bill was prepared to be taken back to committee the next morning for further action. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill before you is totally based upon Utah House Bill 360, and you can look that up on the internet
• I believe that making a marginalized group feel welcome is not a zero-sum game.
• But I think about the Basque flag, the Gernica flag, sports games, Boise High plays Bora.
• Sports games, Boise High plays Bora. They both want to hang their different bees.
• Thank you, Mr.— And I don't believe that recognition is a zero-sum game. Follow up. Thank you, Mr.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Advocates for Child Empowerment and Safety, a 501(c)(4) national coalition to protect children, based
• in A 501(c)(4) national coalition to protect children based in California.
• Fundamentally, the ability to have marketable skills is your ability to participate in our economy.
• Our income gap is continuing to grow rapidly, and we are not churning out the workforce that is skilled
• Most importantly, right now, school curriculum only requires about one year and a half of civics-based

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a series of bills focused largely on school safety, immigrant student protections, Holocaust and genocide education, civic engagement, and workforce pathways. SB 631 would expand the charter school revolving loan fund by increasing loan amounts and broadening eligibility, including for charter schools affected by natural disasters; it drew support from the Treasurer’s Office and the California Charter Schools Association and was advanced on a 4-0 vote, with the bill held on call. SB 472 would reinforce Holocaust, slavery, and genocide education requirements and create or expand teacher training and grants; it received strong support from survivors, educators, and Jewish organizations and passed 6-0, with several members asking to be added as coauthors. The committee also took up a package of immigration-related school bills. SB 48 would bar school officials from allowing immigration enforcement access to campuses without a judicial warrant and protect student records; it was backed by Superintendent Tony Thurmond, teachers, school districts, and many advocacy groups, and passed 5-0 to the Judiciary Committee. SB 98 would require K-12 schools and higher education institutions to notify campus communities when immigration enforcement is present; it also drew broad support from student groups, colleges, and education organizations and passed 3-0 to Higher Education, with the bill held on call. Both measures were presented as responses to recent immigration enforcement activity near schools and the chilling effect on attendance and student well-being. Other measures advanced included SB 848, which would strengthen protections against employee sexual misconduct in schools by updating safety plans, training, reporting, and misconduct tracking; it was supported by education groups and a survivor who described grooming at her high school, and passed 6-0 to Public Safety. SB 638 would create a statewide coordinating entity for education and workforce programs and support career pathways, with testimony emphasizing the need to align fragmented funding and improve access for underserved communities; it passed 7-0 to Higher Education. SB 316, on high school voter registration and pre-registration, passed 8-0 to Elections after testimony from students and civic engagement advocates, and SB 334, which would add sexual harassment prevention content and a Sexual Harassment Safety Week to school curriculum, was presented with support from student advocates and AAUW, with no opposition noted in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know y'all have that, and I also know the Game and Fish do the same thing.
• And I also know the Game and Fish do the same thing. They have a foundation too.
• Based on a current workload, we meet every other month for two days worth of hearings.
• It's not standard practice, but again, it's based on the severity of the action, sir.
• Again, that separation is a key factor in what we base a lot of our decisions on.

Committee: All ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And these three-mile laterals are game-changing. They're now moving into the Permian.
• This is a game-changing piece of pipe for eastern North Dakota, for central North Dakota.
• And so here's some data that we provided based on some estimates. ...data that we provided based on some
• So that might be, if the estimations were based on that, could kind of be another their support. be,
• Now, based on all of those surveys, OMB facility management came up with a proposal.

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum present and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity, which described North Dakota production as holding steady around 1.1 to 1.2 million barrels per day despite lower prices and market volatility. The presentation emphasized that efficiency gains, longer laterals, and improved completion technology are allowing operators to sustain output while activity shifts north in the Bakken. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, flaring, and enhanced oil recovery; the witness said gas is taxed by volume, most liquids are handled through oil lines or gas processing, and the state’s EOR pilot projects and new gas infrastructure are intended to help hold production flat and expand future recovery. The committee then received a presentation from the Tax Department on the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. The department explained that most of the federal changes were extensions of existing Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, but several items — including the larger standard deduction, senior deduction, tip and overtime exclusions, auto loan interest deduction, and business expensing changes — affect state collections. Revised estimates showed a smaller-than-expected impact on individual income tax, with the department suggesting a net cash effect in the range of roughly $30 million to $35 million when business and individual effects are combined, plus a possible one-time distortion from large oil-field transactions in fiscal year 2025. Members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns, and the department clarified that most of the individual provisions apply broadly, while the SALT-related item is itemizer-specific. OMB then reported on major capital projects and facility funding. Updates included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, augmented reality displays for the Rough Rider Hall of Fame, tree management and lighting studies, and restroom and parking reconfiguration in the tower. OMB also described security upgrades at the governor’s residence, where human remains were discovered on site and are being handled with historical and legal review. The state hospital project in Jamestown remains on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028, with costs currently estimated a little over $292 million and a line of credit expected to be drawn in April 2027. The North Central State Office Building in Minot is under construction, with a $5.6 million line of credit already accessed. OMB also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, noting about $1.1 million spent so far on projects such as the Liberty Memorial Building roof and foundation work, Capitol window replacement, boiler replacement, and kitchen remodeling. Finally, Legislative Council staff reviewed the interim compliance report on legislative intent and state trust funds. The report highlighted the status of multiple lines of credit, including those for the state hospital and Minot office building, and noted that the executive budget will likely need to include repayment planning for about $350 million of expected outstanding balances. Other updates included the Bank of North Dakota profit transfer schedule, litigation pool spending, the new Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, the Missouri River Correctional Center planning effort, HHS items such as FMAP and child care assistance, Job Service’s unemployment insurance modernization project, and DPI school aid turnback estimates. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm turning in a catalytic converter for money based on my own vehicle that I'm driving?
• So I'm turning in a catalytic converter for money based on.
• Generally, for one- So I'm turning in a catalytic converter for money based on my own vehicle that I'm
• We're a trade group of video game makers.
• elements of the game. ...and those are all rated by, you know, age appropriateness.

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on three sets of bills before adjourning: House Bill 1611, House Bill 2032, and House Bills 3393 and 2392. No votes were taken. HB 1611, sponsored by Representative Billington, would combat catalytic converter theft by requiring scrap buyers to record the vehicle identification number of the car the converter came from, in addition to existing seller ID requirements. The sponsor and a representative of the Recycled Materials Association supported the bill as a practical way to trace stolen converters; members asked how the VIN would be used to catch thieves, and the sponsor said it could help law enforcement track the source of a converter. No opposition testified. HB 2032, the “Guard Act,” sponsored by Representative Schmidt, would require age verification for AI companions, require disclosure that the chatbot is non-human and not a professional, and prohibit AI systems from knowingly or recklessly encouraging minors toward sexually explicit content, suicide, self-injury, or violence. The sponsor cited cases involving harmful AI interactions with children and said the bill was intended to create guardrails, with possible language changes still under discussion. Support came from the Missouri Psychological Association and Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, while the Entertainment Software Association raised concern that the bill’s definitions might unintentionally cover video games and asked for clearer exclusions. House Bills 3393 and 2392, sponsored by Representatives Mayhew and Murray, would restrict minors’ access to social media and impose parental consent, age verification, and limits on addictive design features, targeted advertising, and adult contact with children. The sponsors argued that social media is harming youth mental health and cited studies, lawsuits, and examples of cyberbullying and self-harm; they also suggested possible amendments on definitions, data handling, severability, and a fund for prevention efforts. Testimony in favor included a 12-year-old student describing bullying and its effects, as well as a pediatric/psychology advocate who recounted the Megan Meier case and supported stronger safeguards. Members questioned age verification, privacy, fake IDs, email accounts, and whether the bills should be broader or more narrowly tailored, but no formal action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• That reimbursement came after the fact and was based on actual claims. The IRA changed that.
• The entire Part D program is based on carriers coming in, and that gets into the bid that goes in in
• So the entire Part D program is based on all these carriers coming in.
• So just because they restructured the whole program and it's a zero-sum game...
• Just because they restructured the whole program and it's a zero-sum game in the individual market.

Committee: All ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee received an update from Grant Wallace on the rebid and possible decoupling of the state’s Medicare Advantage retiree coverage. He said the state is exploring splitting medical and pharmacy benefits for post-65 retirees, with UnitedHealthcare as the incumbent vendor, and that preliminary estimates suggested savings of about $100 to $200 per participant per month. He outlined the expected timeline for final CMS rate announcements in April 2026, with contract amendments likely to come before the committee in May or June after review by the EBD Advisory Commission and State Board of Finance. Representatives from Segal Consulting then reviewed the history and current structure of the Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan, explaining that the plan was adopted after a 2021 recommendation and launched in 2023 alongside the existing Med-Sup option. They said the Medicare Advantage option has produced substantial savings, including a lower monthly rate than the Med-Sup plan and about $40 million in savings from initial enrollment, while also restoring pharmacy benefits for some retirees. The presenters then explained recent federal changes under the Inflation Reduction Act, including major changes to Part D funding, the direct subsidy, and risk-score methodology, which they said have made risk adjustment much more important and are driving interest in separating medical and pharmacy contracts. In response to questions from senators, the presenters said the Medicare Advantage plan covers post-65 teacher and state employee retirees, including retirees from state agencies and K-12 public schools. They also explained that the new Part D structure has reduced out-of-pocket costs for members, with a $2,000 annual cap and lower average member spending to reach it, while shifting more cost to the plan. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported; the committee simply received the update and was told to expect further information after the April rate notice. The meeting adjourned with the committee scheduled to return on May 13.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, called performance-based options.
• /c> for these performance-based projects, for these performance-based projects, energy<00:30:41.240><
• </c><00:30:53.520><c> to</c> science and a specific set of skills to science and a specific set of skills
• </c> however, is that performance-based however, is that performance-based pathways<00:31:00.440><c>
• </c><00:36:15.480><c> projects</c> these performance-based projects these performance-based projects

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those have taken place based on emergency, based on liability, based on safety. Yeah, safety.
• Our model is evidence-based and multidisciplinary.
• Based on these findings, we recommend the following.
• An IP-based infrastructure is built. It's across California.
• An IP-based infrastructure is built. It's across California.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear budget-related updates from the Judicial Branch and the Office of Emergency Services, with no votes taken. The Judicial Council supported the Governor’s proposed budget, highlighting $70 million for increased trial court operating costs, additional funding for court-appointed counsel, Court of Appeal case processing, and courthouse construction and facilities. Trial court representatives emphasized staffing retention problems, especially in counties like San Bernardino, and said stable funding is needed to avoid delays and maintain access to justice. Members also discussed the branch’s remote proceedings program, which has been used in more than 6 million hearings statewide since 2022 and was described as especially important in rural areas and for vulnerable litigants; several members urged making the authority permanent rather than extending it temporarily. A major portion of the hearing focused on Proposition 36 implementation. Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains the $130 million provided in the 2025 Budget Act for court workload and pretrial services, but adds no new Prop. 36 court funding. Judicial Council staff reported nearly 35,000 felony Prop. 36 filings in 2025, with most cases still pending and only a small share of treatment-mandated cases already dismissed after treatment. Witnesses said courts are using the funds for staffing, coordinators, clerks, and treatment-court operations, but that workload varies widely by county and that data collection is limited because courts report aggregate information rather than case-level outcomes. The LAO raised a technical concern about the Department of Finance’s Prop. 47 savings estimate and recommended revising the methodology at May Revision. The committee also reviewed the Orange Central Justice Center facility modification project, where the Judicial Council explained that hidden construction deficiencies and fire-life-safety issues caused costs to rise substantially after demolition began. The LAO said the project itself was supportable but recommended that the Legislature set an ongoing funding level for court facilities, require a long-term facilities plan, and consider more oversight of facility modification projects. Finance said it continues to fund courthouse projects individually and through the State Public Works Board, while acknowledging project delays and cost increases. Finally, Cal OES and advocates discussed victim services funding. Cal OES said it administers about $315 million annually for victim service programs, including VOCA-funded services, but federal VOCA allocations have fluctuated sharply and the state has used one-time General Fund backfills to maintain services. Trauma recovery center advocates warned that an 85% reduction in funding would sharply reduce services for survivors of violent crime, while human trafficking advocates urged reauthorization of the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program before funding reverts to pre-pandemic levels in July 2026. Members asked about federal and state funding stability, referral pathways, and the long-term value of these programs in preventing worse outcomes and reducing public costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• By way of background, commute trip reduction, or CTR, is an employer-based program designed to provide
• By way of background, commute trip reduction, or CTR, is an employer-based program designed to promote
• both Microsoft and Amazon have robust commute trip reduction programs and have shown how employer-based
• Based on historical information, there would be an indeterminate fiscal impact.
• And I hope we can get to a place where the sort of place-based decisions can be made.

Summary: The Transportation Committee held public hearings on three bills. HB 2307 would update the commute trip reduction program by removing the current 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. arrival-time requirement from key definitions, so more employers and shift workers could qualify for CTR benefits. The bill sponsor and several supporters, including Microsoft, transit and transportation nonprofits, local transportation management groups, and city representatives, said the change would modernize the program, improve equity, reduce congestion, and help workers with transportation costs. No one testified in opposition. HB 2374 would distinguish electric-assisted bicycles from higher-powered electric motorcycles, clarify labeling and equipment rules, and direct DOL to convene a work group on enforcement and consumer protection. The sponsor and many supporters, including cities, trail and park organizations, Washington Bikes, and several students, said the bill would address unsafe high-powered vehicles being marketed as e-bikes, especially those used by younger riders, while preserving access to true e-bikes. Some testifiers asked for additional work group members and suggested civil enforcement options for underage riders. HB 2379 would require WSDOT to suspend tolling on facilities that serve as evacuation routes during emergencies such as wildfires or levee breaches. The sponsor said the bill was prompted by constituents facing evacuation while tolls were still being charged; staff noted the fiscal impact would be indeterminate and could reduce toll revenue during suspensions. After the hearings, the committee took executive action on two bills. It adopted proposed substitute H-2771 for HB 1823, which cleans up Transportation Improvement Board provisions and removes obsolete language while retaining remaining bond authority. It also passed HB 2111, which directs interest earned from toll revenues for the Interstate Bridge project to be credited to that project. Both actions were approved by voice vote, 27-0, with two members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• The DOE must create a report based on the feedback from the school districts. And that is the bill.
• The DOE must create a report based on the feedback from the school districts. And that is the bill.
• SB 1150 would enable our school districts to retain highly skilled and qualified school social workers
• SB 1150 would enable our school districts to retain highly skilled and qualified school social workers
• of Hope of distinction, which was created in the original bill as a high-performing School of Hope based

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee heard and advanced a series of education-related bills, beginning with SB 540, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, which would require age-appropriate disability history and awareness instruction across grade bands. The committee adopted a delete-all amendment, heard emotional testimony from Melissa Hartzell about her son Evan’s experience with disability and inclusion, and reported the bill favorably. The committee also passed SB 1296, creating a pilot study on school cellphone bans; SB 1590, creating a task force to review educator preparation, certification, and professional learning; SB 1702, a broad education bill with provisions on private school facilities, marching band credit, school readiness reimbursements, and charter school monitoring tools; SB 1150, exempting school social workers from certain certification testing requirements; SB 1708, revising School of Hope rules and adding a Miami-Dade co-location framework; SB 822, updating charter school governance and operations; SB 444, requiring annual human trafficking awareness training for school personnel; and SB 742, expanding workforce development and money-back guarantee programs. Most of these bills were amended before being reported favorably by committee vote. The committee also considered and reported favorably SB 8, a claims bill providing a $1.2 million settlement for Marcus Button and his family arising from a 2006 Pasco County school bus crash that caused severe lifelong injuries. Senator Gaetz opposed claims bills in general, arguing the sovereign immunity cap should be raised so such cases can be resolved locally. Several bills drew questions and debate over implementation details, including concerns about charter school dress and hair policies under SB 822, the scope of human trafficking training under SB 444, and the zoning implications of private school facility provisions in SB 1702. Sponsor responses generally emphasized that the bills were intended to clarify existing policy or improve student safety, access, or educational outcomes. The committee also took up confirmation appointments. It recommended confirmation of the slate of appointees on Tabs 12 and 14 through 21 by voice vote, and separately recommended confirmation of Daniel Fogunoli to the State Board of Education after debate in which Senator Davis and Senator Osgood opposed the appointment. The meeting concluded with members recording additional votes, including Senator Burgess’s affirmative vote on SB 1150, and then adjourned.