Transcript Highlights:

• those</c><00:19:05.520><c> beds</c> immediate construction of those beds immediate construction of those
• the construction of some additional<00:19:14.640><c> beds.
• It just is, and I'm a costly uh program.
• ,<01:11:42.880><c> and</c><01:11:43.040><c> anesthesiology</c> assistants, and anesthesiology assistants
• , and anesthesiology assistants,<01:11:44.640><c> and</c> assistants, and assistants, and and<01:11:45.560

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But objectively, some of our most widely viewed programs include school-sponsored events that are open
• </c><01:21:27.199><c> include</c><01:21:27.760><c> school</c><01:21:28.080><c> sponsored</c> viewed programs
• include school sponsored viewed programs include school sponsored events<01:21:28.960><c> that</c><01
• I participate in track and football, and I am a member of the CRTC construction trades program.
• </c> the CRTC construction trades program. the CRTC construction trades program.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows our democracy to adjust and adapt, ...or food assistance or business support.
• I'm an assistant clinical professor at Harvard Law School, which means I work every day in Cambridge,
• A county, a city, a school board can't choose to adopt that type of system.
• House Bill 2411 concerns the shared leave program.
• My mom was part of an assimilation program.

Bills: HB2210 , HB2123 , HB2206 , HB2281 , HB2411

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: local representation, fair elections, government accountability, voter rights, transparency, foreign nationals, elections, Washington state, voter participation, government oversight, voting rights, uniform standards, overseas voting, civilian voting, state legislation, tribal relations, government, state policy, sovereignty, federalism

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be 10% to the ITRB if it's within the TIF assistance area. 45% to counties, school districts
• It would be 10% to the ITRB if it's within the TIF assistance area. 45% to counties, school districts
• It would be 10% to the ITRB if it's within the TIF assistance area. 45% to counties, school districts
• It would be 10% to the ITRB if it's within the TIF assistance area. 45% to counties, school districts
• school system.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The program provides financial assistance in the form of grants to either help eliminate the use of R22
• The program<01:15:04.159><c> provides</c><01:15:04.719><c> financial</c><01:15:05.280><c> assistance<
• /c><01:15:05.679><c> in</c> program provides financial assistance in program provides financial assistance
• Murphy Library Construction Grant Program has been funded 15 times from 1994 to 2025.
• Murphy Library Construction Grant<01:54:50.000><c> Program</c><01:54:50.639><c> has</c><01:54:50.960>

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Through early intervention, childhood education, after-school programming, workforce development, and
• </c> high school education is complete. high school education is complete.
• They go to school and island of Cuba. They go to school and they<00:41:16.079><c> work.
• </c> disability insurance program. disability insurance program.
• </c> pilot program contribution. pilot program contribution.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to look at schools because sometimes that's the only facility in an area, an assisted living
• : providers, community-based organizations, schools, workplaces, and others.
• We intend this to be a very transparent process and program.
• So I don't see it... ...because they offer continuing education programs online regularly.
• Of course, most of the students in schools in North Dakota are actually in an urban...

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Joint Policy Committee met to hear an overview of North Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Program before taking up the related policy bills. Department of Health and Human Services staff explained that the state received a $198.9 million CMS award, with funding focused on four pillars: strengthening rural workforce, bringing care closer to home, connecting technology and data, and improving population health through prevention. They emphasized that the program is intended to benefit rural and frontier residents statewide, including areas near urban centers when the project serves rural patients, and that CMS approval, provider readiness, and sustainability will drive what can be funded. Committee members asked about how the program would treat border communities, frontier counties, urban providers serving rural patients, multilingual outreach, tribal consultation, and whether there would be information sessions for applicants. HHS said the website will include sign-up and translation features, more listening sessions and training will be offered, and a rural health tribal liaison will work alongside the existing Medicaid tribal liaison. Members also raised concerns about reimbursement timing, cash flow for providers, and whether projects in urban areas could qualify; HHS responded that urban projects may be eligible if they clearly benefit rural residents. The department then outlined the four policy bills tied to the grant scoring: nutrition continuing medical education for physicians, the presidential fitness test, the physician assistant compact, and pharmacist scope of practice. HHS said these policy actions were incentivized in the federal funding opportunity and that failure to pass them could reduce future funding. The committee did not take final action on the bills in this portion of the transcript and recessed for lunch before moving on.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness.
• Do you have current construction?
• So it's a very, very good program.
• So it's a very, very good program.
• They ask us for our assistance.

Summary: The committee met to review the Attorney General’s budget and related agency operations, beginning with Legislative Council staff walking members through compliance reports and a blue-sheet base budget document. Staff highlighted current-biennium items such as FTE changes, one-time appropriations, litigation funding, opioid settlement receipts, continuing appropriations, and major special and federal funds. Members asked for clarification on items including the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund, the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit grant funding. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness then gave an overview of the office’s structure, staffing, and budget pressures. She emphasized the office’s broad statutory duties, the value of its legal services to state and local government, and concerns about attorney pay lagging behind other agencies. Members discussed whether attorney compensation should be benchmarked more consistently across state government and whether some legal work could be consolidated within the AG’s office. Ness also addressed questions about AG opinion turnaround times, boards-and-commissions training, the new-and-vacant FTE pool, operating expense cuts, office leases, and the state’s criminal justice information systems. The crime lab presentation drew significant attention. Director Jennifer Penner described severe space, safety, and infrastructure problems at the current lab, including cramped work areas, glycol leaks, outdated fire and burglar alarms, air-handling limits, and equipment failures that have delayed toxicology work. She said the 2024 study projected a much larger facility would be needed and that the preferred location would be near the current health department site, but in a new building. Members asked about possible evidence risks, backlog status, and whether the proposed building would solve the current problems; Penner said it would and noted backlogs have improved overall, though some delays remain. The committee also heard from the new Medicaid Fraud Control Unit director, who described the unit’s civil and criminal work, federal-state funding split, and examples of fraud such as billing for services not provided or upcoding. The gaming division reported continued growth in charitable gaming and e-tabs, with members expressing concern about large trust-account balances, site competition, and possible misuse of proceeds. Finally, BCI outlined its caseload, cybercrime work, missing Indigenous persons task force, and the surge in CSAM cyber tips; members asked about AI-generated CSAM, and the AG’s office noted that last session’s law increased penalties and expressly allowed AI-generated CSAM to be prosecuted like other CSAM. No formal votes or actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• My employer has current grants under the Industrial Access Road Program and could apply for more under
• The money in the fund shall be expended by the Department of Highways for constructing and maintaining
• I've got schools shutting down in my county. 130 teachers got RIF letters last week.
• This bill creates the airport hangar grant program.
• This bill creates the airport hangar grant program.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present and first approved the minutes from the prior meeting. It then reconsidered Committee Substitute for House Bill 5212, noting that an Education Committee amendment had been inadvertently omitted the day before; the vice chairman withdrew the prior motion to report the bill, and the committee returned to the bill with the technical Education Committee amendments pending. The transcript then moved through a long agenda of bills and supplemental appropriations, with the committee generally hearing brief explanations from counsel, occasional member questions, and then voting to adopt amendments and report measures to the full Senate. Among the substantive policy bills, the committee advanced House Bill 4007 on the Industrial Access Road Fund, allowing an additional possible $3 million transfer in a fiscal year, expanding eligible uses, and increasing county/municipal spending limits; House Bill 4765, which raises salaries for state police, teachers, and school service personnel and, via a strike-and-insert amendment, creates a market pay enhancement tied to county and regional income data; House Bill 5162, recodifying tax lien sale procedures and clarifying ownership and government-property tax treatment; House Bill 5382, extending the Neighborhood Investment Tax Credit Program to July 1, 2031; House Bill 5685, authorizing up to $150 million in revenue bonds backed by excess lottery funds for State Culture Center improvements; House Joint Resolution 42, placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot to raise the homestead exemption from $20,000 to $40,000; House Bill 4010, creating an airport hangar grant program and fund; House Bill 4404, increasing from $500 to $5,000 the amount volunteer fire departments may spend on training and fire prevention materials; House Bill 4592, requiring standardized campus safety mapping data for higher education institutions; House Bill 4784, extending and making retroactive a qualified opportunity zone business tax modification; and House Bill 5088, increasing retirement benefits for Division of Natural Resources police officers, with a one-time $4.25 million cash injection. The committee also reported several supplemental appropriations and originating bills, including Senate Bill 842 for the Spay Neuter Assistance Fund, Senate Bill 846 for Culture and History capital repairs, Senate Bill 872 for Natural Resources capital repairs (reduced to $10 million in committee substitute), Senate Bill 876 for Department of Health facilities, Senate Originating Bills 1 through 5 covering Culture and History, road funds, corrections IT and services, tobacco education, and the Adjutant General’s armory board transfer, respectively. Most items were adopted by voice vote; House Bill 4765’s strike-and-insert amendment was adopted after a division vote of 10-6. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• AND SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS THE DIVISION AUTHORIZING CERTAIN USES OR CONSTRUCTION OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN
• LET'S NOT FORGET OUR STATE PARKS SERVE AS POWERFUL EDUCATION SCHOOLS.
• THE BILL DIRECTS DEP TO CONVENE A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GROUP TO HELP DEVELOP A PLAN AND AT A MINIMUM
• AND INCLUDE A THREE-YEAR PLAN FOR RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECYCLING ASSISTANCE
• IS THE RATHER EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTS PROGRAMS AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH THOSE. SENATOR DICEGLIE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so you had all of these school districts and all of these parents who were worried about the programming
• If you go to a private school, you likely have access to all these programs, you likely have access to
• But if you went to a public high school, like I did, or maybe you did, these are the programs that go
• You could have never got me into a debate program in school. I wasn't talking to anybody.
• program that could be funded through a local government as an after-school program that is strictly a

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and moments of silence, including tributes to fallen service members. The chamber then moved through a special order calendar focused on a series of bills, with most measures receiving unanimous or near-unanimous support after brief explanations and floor debate. Several bills were temporarily postponed, but the body took up and passed multiple others, often substituting identical House companions before final passage. The first major measure, SB 1062 on speech and debate education, drew extensive supportive debate from senators who described debate as a civic skill that builds confidence, critical thinking, and conflict resolution, especially for students in public schools and underserved communities. An amendment creating a Speech and Debate Hall of Fame, expanding access through public-private partnerships, and establishing coach training was adopted, and the bill ultimately passed 37-0. The Senate also passed SB 1072 creating an Anti-Semitism Task Force, with a late-filed amendment clarifying that the bill does not restrict criticism of Israel and is not intended to infringe First Amendment rights; that bill also passed 37-0. Other measures passed included a PFAS bill phasing out firefighting foam containing forever chemicals and setting testing, reporting, and enforcement requirements; an expansion of the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program; student health and safety legislation expanding seizure-response training in schools; updates to funeral and cemetery regulation; protected cell captive insurance company legislation aimed at increasing insurance market capacity; nonprofit corporation updates; child welfare reforms streamlining foster-care medication approvals and related procedures; salvage title/e-signature changes; and forensic client services changes allowing certain APD clients to be housed with other secure forensic residents. Most of these bills were passed after substituting House companions and received unanimous votes. The most contentious debate came on SB 1134 regarding official actions of local governments and DEI-related activities. Senator Yarborough argued the bill would stop counties and cities from funding or promoting DEI practices he described as discriminatory or ideological, while several amendments sought to narrow the bill to spending only, add an intent requirement for penalties, and preserve local proclamations and observances such as LGBTQ Pride Month. Those amendments were rejected, and debate continued on the bill’s scope and exemptions, but the transcript ends before final disposition of SB 1134 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a 1991 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and live on Bainbridge Island with
• Given the number of grants and the average per-project construction costs of just over $58,000, there
• And my take on it is they're just simply unaware of the program and how to take advantage of it if they
• are aware of the program.
• Again, how clear is it how you participate in these programs beyond just saying there's this program.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Summary: The Citizens Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 6, 2025, with five commissioners present and a quorum. The commission approved the May 7, 2025 meeting minutes and welcomed new commissioner Scott Edwards, who introduced himself. Staff also confirmed the September meeting date had been changed to September 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. to accommodate his schedule, and noted that testimony questions for the public hearing would be used at that meeting. JLARC staff then presented preliminary 2025 tax preference performance reviews covering nine preferences. For natural gas used as a transportation fuel, staff said the preferences reduce fuel costs but do not meet emissions-reduction goals, and recommended continuing the public utility tax and natural gas use tax exemptions while modifying reporting requirements; they also recommended continuing the marine-use LNG sales tax exemption and considering the Department of Revenue work group’s findings. For travel agents and tour operators, staff said the small-beneficiary rate appears to support smaller firms, while the larger-beneficiary rate should be reviewed and both should have clearer objectives and metrics. For nonprofit low-income housing development, staff said the preference is helping produce housing but the current metric does not align well with the objective, data/reporting problems remain, and the legislature should decide whether to continue and possibly modify the exemption, including considering annual renewal. Staff also reviewed the multipurpose senior citizen centers exemption, concluding it meets its objective and recommending continuation, with possible consideration of making it permanent. For disabled veteran adapted housing, staff said the preference has very low uptake despite eligible veterans and recommended continuing it but modifying it in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve use. For trade convention attendance, staff said the preference aligns Washington with other states and recommended continuation. For agricultural fertilizer and seed wholesaling, staff said the exemption reduces tax layering and recommended continuation, with clarification on whether it is exempt from expiration/performance-statement requirements. For agricultural crop protection products, staff said the preference met its revenue-growth metric and recommended extending it while considering better metrics or recategorizing it as tax relief. Finally, for energy sales to a silicon smelter, staff said the preferences were unused because the facility was never built and recommended allowing them to expire. The meeting ended with reminders about written testimony and the September public testimony session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today with us from Santa Fe Indian School are Christy Abeyta, Santa Fe Indian School Superintendent,
• Haim-Penasa of El Dorado High School.
• Applied equally to all people, and I knew I wanted to go to the UNM School of Law, the only school I
• Act to allow certain experienced physician assistants to supervise newly licensed physician assistants
• licensed physician assistants.

Transcript Highlights:

• Will Watts, the assistant secretary for engineering and operations.
• As a multi county mpo as assistant secretary on referenced Mpo is date back to 1973.
• It's called the trip program.
• And then the next work program cycle, it will be considered again at that point.
• I I actually really appreciate the assistant secretary.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill naming the library construction grants program the Mary C.
• :33.279><c> program</c><00:09:33.839><c> um</c> library construction grants program um library construction
• :44:02.319><c> Dakota</c><00:44:02.720><c> and</c> capital assistance program Dakota and capital assistance
• </c> assistance program blue earth county assistance program blue earth county 3.45<00:44:09.920><c>
• 45 million capital assistance 3.45 45 million capital assistance program<00:44:12.720><c> Pope</c><00

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Frank Green, assistant program administrator.
• I'm Paige Sloop, another assistant program here at IBR.
• Construction of a road or light rail in a very densely populated area like the IBR program versus construction
• Construction of a road or light rail in a very densely populated area like the IBR program versus construction
• I'm the deputy assistant administrator for the IBR program.

Committee: Joint Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee

Summary: The Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee met for a work session and public hearing on the Interstate 5 bridge replacement program. Program staff outlined major milestones, including the recent biological opinion, the Coast Guard’s opening of a public comment period on the Navigation Impact Report, expected decisions in early 2026 on navigational clearance and the final supplemental environmental impact statement, and a possible amended record of decision in 2026. They also discussed the Bridge Investment Program grant amendment deadline, the need for an initial finance plan, and ongoing community outreach and contractor engagement. Greg Johnson announced he was stepping down as program administrator, and Carly Francis introduced herself as interim administrator. A large portion of the meeting focused on design and cost questions. Staff said the program is studying fixed and movable spans, single- and double-deck configurations, and one versus two auxiliary lanes, with final recommendations to be made through the federal environmental process. They said the Coast Guard’s decision is central to what bridge configuration is permittable and to the timing of the updated cost estimate, which has not yet been released. Members pressed for more detail on cost drivers, potential impacts to businesses upriver, and whether the states would need to seek additional funding. Staff said they had reached agreements with four impacted river users, but the underlying evaluation materials are protected and not publicly releasable. The committee also reviewed transit-related questions. Staff explained that light rail remains part of the modified locally preferred alternative and that ridership and operations estimates are being updated using federal modeling methods. They said projected opening-day transit operations and maintenance costs have dropped from an earlier estimate of $21.8 million to about $10.3 million annually because the current model assumes lower frequency, with Oregon and Washington shares split by geography and fare recovery. Members raised concerns about TriMet’s financial stability and the need for a funding plan by fall 2027, ahead of a planned federal transit funding application in fall 2028. During public testimony, several speakers criticized the delay in releasing a new cost estimate and argued the project scope should be reduced if costs continue to rise. Testifiers from City Observatory and the Just Crossing Alliance said the project appears to be avoiding bad news, urged the committee to consider scope reductions, and questioned whether the active transportation and freeway components align with the project’s core purpose. The meeting ended with thanks to Johnson for his service and a transition to public hearing testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> program act of 2026. program act of 2026.
• Clerk, read the next bill. >> Senate Bill 709, Senator Corrosza, Education, Purple Star Schools Program
• </c><02:03:57.119><c> program,</c> Education, Purple Star Schools program, Education, Purple Star Schools
• :03:58.560><c> Program.
• </c> and Purple Stars Colleges Program. and Purple Stars Colleges Program.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, March 20, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This school particularly offered something really cool. It was a parents' night out program.
• The school offered a parent's night out program where we could go have a date night and drop our kids
• He drowned while going to that parent's night out program.
• When he drowned, he was in his swim school group.
• We're not unusual among private swim schools, generally.

Bills: SB650 , HB3667 , SB28 , HB3201 , SB1184 , HB1800 , SB 28

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Keywords: permit issuance, regulatory framework, business operations, efficiency, application process, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, lottery regulations, occupational licensing, fraud prevention, criminal background checks, lottery couriers, SB 1184, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, wine collection seller, collectible wine, vintage wine

Transcript Highlights:

• Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness.
• Do you have current construction?
• And then on top of that, there is a program called IPAWS.
• So it's a very, very good program. So it's a very, very good program.
• They ask us for our assistance.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to hear the Attorney General’s budget and related agency presentations. Legislative Council first reviewed the compliance with legislative intent report and the base budget worksheet, highlighting current and ongoing appropriations, FTE changes, one-time funding items, continuing appropriations, and major special and federal funds. Members asked about items such as the Missing Indigenous People Grant Fund, the Internet Crimes Investigation Fund, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit grant funding, and staff explained the funding sources and status of those programs. Assistant Attorney General Clare Ness then outlined the Attorney General’s office structure, staffing, and budget pressures. She emphasized the office’s broad statutory duties, the value of its legal and investigative work for state and local governments, and concerns about attorney salary competitiveness, the new and vacant FTE pool, and the impact of the 3% operating budget reduction on BCI, IT, and the crime lab. Members also discussed AG opinions, boards and commissions training, and the office’s litigation and settlement recoveries. Ness and committee members raised the possibility of broader attorney salary benchmarking across state government. The crime lab director described severe space and infrastructure constraints, including overcrowding, shared workspaces, glycol leaks, air handling limits, and aging fire and burglar alarm systems. She said the 2024 study projected a much larger facility would be needed and that a new building on the current health department site would best address the lab’s needs. She also reported that backlogs have improved significantly in DNA, drug, fingerprint, and firearms work, though toxicology had a recent delay after an air compressor failure. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit director described the unit’s fraud, abuse, and neglect work, noted federal-state funding and recent federal scrutiny, and said the unit needs more staff. The gaming division reviewed charitable gaming growth, e-tabs, trust accounts, and compliance issues, while BCI covered its caseload, cybercrime and child sexual abuse material investigations, the missing indigenous person task force, and the use of lottery funds for drug task forces. No formal votes or budget actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• Program.
• HP 4341 also includes a grant program to, to assist these facilities in meeting these requirements.
• As you know, the Major Events reimbursement Program, MERP.
• We're big fans of the TIERRA program.

Committee: Senate Economic Development