Transcript Highlights:

• </c> rankings are based on expert evaluations rankings are based on expert evaluations of<00:12:00.079
• Referring the patient for immediate medical evaluation, Clearway staff focused on encouraging her to
• </c><06:53:31.280><c> the</c><06:53:31.600><c> national</c> district will be performing the national
• district will be performing the national anthem<06:53:32.878><c> to</c><06:53:33.200><c> launch</c><06
• </c> empowering these brilliant performers empowering these brilliant performers through<06:53:57.360

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

Transcript Highlights:

• you're contemplating here, the decrease in state support, is really going to force the system to re-evaluate
• you're contemplating here, the decrease in state support, is really going to force the system to re-evaluate
• It is just to say that we are probably evaluating them a bit differently, and I always respect different
• 14.760><c> probably</c> is just to say that we are probably is just to say that we are probably evaluating
• them a bit differently and I evaluating them a bit differently and I you<00:41:18.200><c> know</c><00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered an amendment to add a new “Lakes” license plate to HB 2, with proceeds directed to the cyanobacteria fund for lake cleanup. Representative McGuire said the bill had already passed on consent and asked that it be included in HB 2; members discussed that it had also gone to the Senate. The motion to adopt the amendment failed on a 7-8 vote. The committee then took up an amendment imposing a 5% administrative fee on certain dedicated funds, with several exemptions for funds that could not legally or appropriately be charged, such as those involving federal money or bequests. Supporters said it would make the treatment of dedicated funds more consistent and raise roughly $31 million over the biennium for the general fund, while opponents questioned the number of carve-outs and who currently pays the administrative costs. The amendment failed on a 4-5 vote. Next, the committee reconsidered and then adopted an amendment changing the distribution of business profits tax and business enterprise tax revenue, reducing the share going to the Education Trust Fund from 41% to 30% and increasing the General Fund share. Supporters argued the Senate had overfunded the Education Trust Fund and that the change would help balance the budget without changing education spending levels; opponents said they could not support taking money from the Education Trust Fund. The amendment passed 5-3. The committee also adopted, by the same 5-3 margin, an amendment incorporating HB 741 language on open enrollment and student attendance in public schools, with supporters calling it House policy and opponents noting it had been a close, partly partisan vote in the House. Finally, the committee considered a change to the University System of New Hampshire budget that would reduce general fund appropriations by $40 million per year, offset in part by $15 million in previously approved unique dollars for a net reduction of $25 million per year. Supporters said the cut was necessary to balance the budget and that other options had been exhausted; opponents called it harmful to the university system and argued the committee should instead look to other areas, including education freedom accounts, for savings. The discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on the UNH item.

Transcript Highlights:

• is taking the three-panel and making them a two-panel at this point in time, only adding a third evaluator
• This point in time only adding a third evaluator if it's not the same finding by the two members.
• so that would be our concern evaluation so that would be our concern thank<00:09:38.560><c> you</c><
• <00:21:12.880><c> for</c><00:21:13.360><c> ACT</c><00:21:14.159><c> involuntary</c> evaluated for ACT
• involuntary evaluated for ACT involuntary hospitalization<00:21:15.600><c> and</c><00:21:15.679><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Health and Human Services and Judiciary meeting heard testimony on several measures, with most of the discussion focused on SB 709 and SB 955. On SB 709, relating to mental health data and related appropriations, the Department of Health supported the bill’s intent and said the funding would help maintain a data dashboard and positions, though it had no suggested amount for one blank appropriation. Members also discussed whether sections of the bill were duplicative of existing data reporting. The committees later recommended SB 709 be passed with amendments, including technical changes, deferring the date to December 31, 2050, and blanking out the appropriation for later clarification. SB 955, relating to fitness to proceed, drew mixed testimony. Judiciary opposed portions of the bill, saying some changes could have unintended practical consequences. The Office of the Public Defender supported the bill’s intent but urged keeping a three-member evaluation panel rather than reducing it to two, warning that a two-panel process could create delays if a third evaluator had to be added later. A former Hawaii State Hospital clinician said the bill placed too much blame on the courts and should address institutional and administrative problems at the hospital more directly. The Department of Health supported the intent and said it appreciated efforts to address overcrowding. After discussion about examiner shortages and status hearings, the committees recommended SB 955 be passed with amendments reducing the number of qualified examiners from three to one and making related technical changes. The committee also heard SB 1228, a child welfare services measure creating a working group related to youth legal representation and child welfare reform. DHS requested adding a Child Welfare Services representative to the work group, and multiple advocates, including the National Center for Youth Law and Hawaii Youth Services Network, testified in strong support, emphasizing the need for youth voice and implementation of Malama Ohana recommendations. Members asked whether this working group overlapped with another recently passed working group bill; testimony indicated the two measures addressed different issues. The meeting then recessed and later resumed for decision-making on the 9 o’clock calendar, where SB 709 was adopted with amendments and SB 955 was adopted with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also recommended revising the psychological evaluation.
• At the time of these talk stories, there was one individual doing all evaluations for every incoming
• Uh, we don't have the mental health staffing to do the evaluations on everybody going out the door.
• </c><01:12:16.800><c> on</c> health Staffing to do the evaluations on health Staffing to do the evaluations
• We just started an initiative with the 704 cases for the evaluations.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the PV-SMART calculator is designed to do that based on those..." soil scientist site evaluator
• So this needs to be evaluated on a site-specific basis, which again is how we do it through the rules
• It needs to be evaluated on a site-specific basis. Thank you for your testimony, Amy.
• So this needs to be evaluated on a site-specific basis, which again is how we do it through the rules
• It needs to be evaluated on a site-specific basis. Thank you for your testimony, Amy.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's good for the school district uh as they evaluate.
• It's good for the school district uh as they evaluate.
• So we still do have the they evaluate.
• Uh and this uh initial evaluation<00:25:52.400><c> allows</c><00:25:52.799><c> for</c><00:25:53.039><
• for the review of that evaluation allows for the review of that collaboration<00:25:54.799><c> between

Bills: HB0023 , HB0024 , HB0025

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: extracurricular activities, public school participation, enrollment, Wyoming, student access, charter schools, application process, authorizers, public hearing, community support, scholarship, education, eligibility, continuous enrollment, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think they always need to be evaluated, and that's a debate.
• Okay, and then my other specific concern: page three, the ability to opt out of evaluations.
• On page three, line 35 through 38 is where I have it, opting out of evaluations.
• Out of personal analysis, evaluations, survey, or data collection by the school district.
• Yeah, in evaluation, it could. Yeah.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think they always need to be evaluated, and that's a debate, obviously, we continue to have.
• I think they always need to be evaluated, and that's a debate, obviously, we continue to have.
• Okay, and then my other specific concern, page three, the ability to opt out of evaluations?
• Ability to opt out of evaluations? I'm sorry, what was that?
• , evaluations, survey, or data collection by the school district.

Summary: The House began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 123-1 roll call vote. Members then spent time introducing guests, including physicians, sheriffs, students, interns, and school groups from several districts. The chamber also heard a personal privilege statement recognizing a member’s son’s birthday. On third reading, House Bill 1758, dealing with permanent daylight saving time in Missouri, drew debate over whether ending clock changes would improve convenience or create safety and health problems by leaving more commutes in darkness. Supporters argued it would align with public preference and reduce disruption, while opponents warned of circadian and safety concerns. The bill passed 107-31 with two present. The House then moved to perfection of House Bill 3329, which repeals expired or unused tax credits, and House Bill 3405, which reclassifies SALT/pass-through entity items as deductions rather than tax credits for reporting purposes; both were described as cleanup and efficiency measures and were perfected without opposition. The chamber then took up House Bill 2426, a broad parental rights bill covering medical, educational, privacy, and related decision-making for children, and a major amendment focused on individualized education plans (IEPs). Supporters said the bill and amendment strengthen parental involvement and require stricter judicial review, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, school district administration burdens, transparency requirements, and possible conflicts with existing law on truancy, medical care, and records. House Amendment 1 was adopted 98-25 with six present, and debate continued on the underlying bill with no final vote shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that the things to do you mentioned, at least those related to evaluating costs, identifying
• If you could, this reads—well, I'll just read it: Recommendation, Delaware should study and evaluate
• [Continuation] Delaware should study and evaluate a clean energy standard to recognize nuclear power
• Delaware should study and evaluate a clean energy... ...or other procurement mechanisms.
• Delaware should study and evaluate a clean energy standard or other procurement mechanism.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• importance of public notice and participation in the permitting process and asks the department to evaluate
• If evaluations are incomplete, inadequate, or important information is ignored, the consequences will
• If evaluations are incomplete, inadequate, or important information is ignored, the consequences will
• until complete disclosure, without redactions, and the full body of available information has been evaluated
• As a certified residential appraiser, I'm also asking that a full evaluation by a panel of certified

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 480, which would allow anchoring in certain waterways, specifically Oyster Bayou, with restrictions to protect oyster leases and require a person to remain on board. After brief explanation from the sponsor, Representative DeWitt moved favorable and the bill was reported favorable without objection. House Bill 510, which would have prohibited importation of captured carbon dioxide into Louisiana for sequestration, was discussed briefly. The sponsor said the proposal appeared to conflict with federal law and interstate commerce concerns, and he asked to voluntarily defer the bill. The committee agreed, and HB 510 was deferred. The committee also heard House Resolution 279, urging the state to study geothermal energy policy; after questions about geothermal technology and possible overlap with CCS infrastructure, the resolution was adopted on a 10-3 roll call vote and reported favorable. The bulk of the meeting focused on House Bill 1152, as amended, dealing with the Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage Trust Fund and a proposed injection fee for carbon sequestration projects. The amendment would set the fee at 19 cents per ton, with 12 cents going to the state trust fund and 7 cents going directly to affected parishes, while retaining existing fund caps and adding evacuation routes as an eligible local expenditure. Industry groups and local government representatives both testified: industry warned the proposal was rushed, could create uncertainty, and might hurt Louisiana’s competitiveness; parish officials argued locals need a meaningful revenue share, transparency, and bargaining power because they will bear emergency-response burdens. Members raised questions about the fee structure, exemptions for state lands and parish agreements, and whether the local share would continue for the life of a project. The bill remained under discussion at the end of the transcript, with talk of creating an off-session task force or working group to continue negotiations for next year.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we start to evaluate some of those disparities and look for opportunities for investments, one that
• We were heavily evaluated by the state.
• Youth are engaged, and I'll share a little bit later on the evaluation data.
• I can say in our evaluation, one of the things I wanted to highlight: kids went from a 1.9 GPA to a 3.3
• , from our evaluation.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When we start to evaluate some of those disparities and look for opportunities for investments, one that
• We were heavily evaluated by the state.
• Youth are engaged, and I'll share a little bit later on the evaluation data.
• I can say in our evaluation, one of the things I wanted to highlight is that kids went from a 1.9 GPA
• , from our evaluation.

Summary: The hearing focused on inclusive economic development in California’s Central Valley, with the chair describing prior state and federal investments in Fresno and the region, including Transformative Climate Communities funding, the Southwest Fresno Community College campus, affordable housing and infrastructure projects, medical education pathways, F3 Farm Food Future, and high-speed rail-related jobs. The chair emphasized that rural and historically disinvested communities often face complex application processes and limited technical capacity, and said the committee’s goal was to learn from successful local models and identify ways to better direct resources to communities that need them most. The first panel featured representatives from the Sierra Health Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and UC Merced. Chet Hewitt argued that health and economic opportunity are inseparable and described Sierra Health’s economic development portfolio, including the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, the Impact Investment Fund, and the Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI), which together support healthier workplaces, microbusiness financing, and nonprofit capacity. Jessica Kaksmarik said Irvine’s place-based grantmaking in inland regions aims to strengthen worker and community power, support community-led development, and expand equitable pathways to mobility, while stressing that philanthropy must partner with government because it cannot meet the scale of need alone. Dr. Manuel Pastor and Dr. Ed Flores both argued that inequality and extractive development weaken long-term growth, and that community organizations need both power-building and technical expertise to influence regional planning; Flores also described the Valley Seed project and high-road economic development models that link labor, climate, and community benefits. The second panel highlighted community-based programs and the effects of unstable funding. Yolanda Randalls described the Sweet Potato Project at West Fresno Family Resource Center, a youth agriculture and entrepreneurship program that combines hands-on farming, business training, and mental health support; she said participants improved from a 1.9 GPA to a 3.3 GPA and that the program is seeking long-term support as its funding nears expiration. Addie Carr of Neighborhood Industries described a second-chance employment model that provides job training, case management, literacy and life coaching, and small no-interest loans, and said CEMI helped the organization open a second store and create more jobs. Maria Redoubt Orozco of Community Alliance with Family Farmers said small farmers are central to the Valley’s economy but face land, water, climate, and market barriers, and warned that federal cuts to programs like Local Food Purchasing Assistance threaten local food systems. Daniela Rodriguez of Immigrants Rising described entrepreneurship and technical assistance for undocumented and mixed-status entrepreneurs, including the SEED initiative, and said policy uncertainty and access-to-capital barriers continue to constrain immigrant economic mobility. In closing discussion, panelists repeatedly called for longer-term, braided, and flexible funding rather than one-time grants, and the chair noted the need to continue supporting community-defined practices and public-private partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oregon's leadership and our governor's office, are closely monitoring the upcoming decision and evaluating
• The reason my annual evaluation next week is Monday is my 10-year anniversary with Washington State Ferries
• So with that, we're excited with you keeping me in your evaluation next week, and the fact that Jenna's
• Auburn, for example, their roadways didn't suffer significant long-term damage, but they're still evaluating
• And then we also had our engineers out on site as the water started to recede to evaluate and assess

Bills: SB5989

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oregon's leadership and our governor's office, are closely monitoring the upcoming decision and evaluating
• The reason my annual evaluation next week is Monday is my 10-year anniversary with Washington State Ferries
• So with that, we're excited to keep you in my evaluation next week, and the fact that Jenna's only been
• Auburn, for example, their roadways didn't suffer significant long-term damage, but they're still evaluating
• And then we also had our engineers out on site as the water started to recede to evaluate and assess

Summary: The committee first met in brief executive session and advanced Senate Bill 5989 without recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. Staff explained the bill would redistribute sales tax on aircraft fuel, affecting general fund revenue, which was why it was better suited for Ways and Means. The motion passed by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith on WSDOT’s 2025 work and 2026 priorities. She highlighted agency reorganization, safety initiatives, preservation needs, bridge strikes and storm damage, ferry service improvements, major projects such as Revive I-5, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, fish passage work, and preparations for the World Cup. Members praised the department’s communication and work, and asked about additional paving and preservation funding; Meredith said WSDOT had prepared projects that could be advanced if more money were available. Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vizina and staffer Jenna Forty followed with a detailed briefing on vessel and terminal preservation. They described the aging fleet, the need for new hybrid-electric vessels, the governor’s proposed funding for three additional ferries and life-extension work on older vessels, and the importance of terminal upgrades such as Fauntleroy. Senators asked about service contingency planning, the cost and timing of hybrid versus diesel vessels, and whether additional vessels would require rebidding; staff said hybrid-electric construction is the fastest path and that any expansion would depend on statutory direction and legal review. The committee then heard from local government representatives on preservation and storm recovery. The Association of Washington Cities and the Transportation Improvement Board described city road and bridge needs, limited local funding, and the importance of sustained preservation investment and programmatic grants. County representatives from the Washington State Association of County Engineers, Snohomish County, and the County Road Administration Board discussed the December flooding, road washouts, bridge damage, and recovery costs, emphasizing that counties face large preservation backlogs and need state and federal help for repairs and resiliency.

Transcript Highlights:

• I address briefly why we’re doing this: we need this integrated evaluation of Western transmission needs
• You know, we need this integrated evaluation. So I address briefly why we're doing this.
• You know, we need this integrated evaluation of Western transmission needs.
• public and private utility and labor work group and produce this transmission workforce study that evaluates
• Montana has a major facility siting act that is similar to the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• , to begin, companies should conduct property resiliency assessments for earthquake exposure and evaluate
• 20-year assessment as part of that Citizens Initiative, where we are conducting periodic outcome evaluations
• And as of 2022, I am our lead for the long-term evaluation of Initiative 502, which is what we'll be
• Initiative 502 also assigned WSIPP to conduct a benefit-cost evaluation for the... ...implementation
• towards building that foundation that is necessary to conduct that final comprehensive benefit-cost evaluation

Summary: The committee heard a work session on earthquake insurance, beginning with background from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. OIC staff explained that earthquake and earth movement are generally excluded from standard property policies, that earthquake coverage is usually purchased through endorsements or standalone policies with high deductibles and relatively high premiums, and that surplus lines are a limited backstop market not covered by the state guarantee fund. They also described parametric insurance and captive insurance as more specialized products generally suited to commercial or governmental buyers rather than ordinary consumers. A second panel of insurance and banking experts focused on commercial earthquake exposure, especially for older buildings, collateralized loans, and potential knock-on effects to banks and consumers if a major quake caused widespread damage. Members asked about consumer impacts, mitigation incentives, inventories of vulnerable buildings, and whether legislation such as prior work on unreinforced masonry could help reduce risk. The Washington Bankers Association said earthquake insurance is expensive and that affordability is a major concern, while also noting banks participate in disaster-recovery planning and would be affected by major regional losses. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on its cannabis and Initiative 502 research. WSIPP staff described the agency as a nonpartisan research institute that conducts legislative-directed studies and explained that its long-term I-502 assignment includes periodic reports leading to a final benefit-cost evaluation in 2032. Staff summarized findings from a 2023 report showing that cannabis possession convictions fell sharply after legalization, though some racial disproportionalities persisted, and that closer retail access was associated with higher reported adult cannabis use, more fatal traffic crashes involving drivers from nearby areas, and higher rates of cannabis use disorder diagnoses among Medicaid enrollees. A 2023 youth-focused report found that students attending schools near retailers were more likely to report cannabis use, had more unexcused absences, and were less likely to graduate on time. In the newest 2025 Medicaid study, staff said retail access was associated with higher probabilities of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, related hospitalizations, inpatient treatment, and co-occurring mental health diagnoses, with event-study analysis suggesting the increases appeared after retailers opened rather than before. Members asked about racial disproportionality, the meaning of cannabis use disorder diagnoses, THC and impairment, whether the findings reflected medical versus recreational use, and how the results should be interpreted in light of broader trends and data limitations. No formal committee action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• education programs and Section 504 plans of eligible blind students to include the assessment and evaluation
• 14:47.759><c> the</c><00:14:48.000><c> assessment</c><00:14:48.480><c> and</c><00:14:49.000><c> evaluation
• </c><00:14:50.000><c> of</c> include the assessment and evaluation of include the assessment and evaluation
• The bill addresses directly the need for evaluation of the students blind and low vision.
• The bill addresses directly the need for evaluation of the students blind and low vision.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• these incorporated by reference documents to reduce the number of continuing education hours for evaluators
• from 40 hours of training to 30 hours of training for this certification for these psychosexual evaluators
• from 40 hours of training to 30 hours of training for this certification for these psychosexual evaluators
• I don’t know nationwide specifics for psychosexual evaluators.
• these incorporated-by-reference documents to reduce the number of continuing education hours for evaluators

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And there are a number of specified items that the transmission authority must evaluate and consider
• And there are a number of specified items that the transmission authority must evaluate and consider
• This amendment would likely increase costs for the authority to publish the evaluation outlined in the
• It tasks the transmission authority to do a solid evaluation when they are doing the specified corridors
• This amendment simply states that, well, it tasks the transmission authority to do a solid evaluation

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met in executive session on three bills. For Second Substitute Senate Bill 6182, staff explained it would create an abortion savings program funded by a new assessment on health carriers to support grants for abortion clinical care access. Representative Marshall offered amendments to limit grants to Washington residents, expand eligibility to IVF and fertility providers, prioritize medically underserved areas, and add a 2031 sunset; all were rejected or withdrawn. The committee then voted 18-10 to report the bill out with a do pass recommendation. For Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6260, staff briefed a striking amendment that would reduce savings in K-12 spending by changing local effort assistance and Running Start limits, prioritizing some transition-to-kindergarten funding, and eliminating inflation increases for National Board bonuses. Members debated a series of amendments on bus depreciation, charter school LEA payments, transition-to-kindergarten funding, and Running Start. Some amendments were adopted, including a bus depreciation change and a Running Start adjustment, while others were rejected. The committee then adopted the striker as amended and reported the bill out 17-12 with a due pass recommendation. For Substitute Senate Bill 6355, which would establish the Washington Electric Transmission Authority and related board and advisory structures, members considered amendments on rural land-use expertise, eastern Washington board representation, corridor review standards, tribal workgroup removal, and payments in lieu of taxes for transmission facilities. One amendment was withdrawn and the others were rejected except for a landowner/rural expertise amendment that passed. The committee then reported the bill out 18-11 with a due pass recommendation. At the end of the meeting, members exchanged closing remarks thanking staff and colleagues, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be evaluating how the weapon screening process works and we'll make adjustments as needed to
• We<00:03:10.959><c> will</c><00:03:11.200><c> be</c><00:03:11.360><c> evaluating</c><00:03:12.000><c>
• how</c><00:03:12.239><c> the</c><00:03:12.400><c> weapon</c> We will be evaluating how the weapon We
• will be evaluating how the weapon screening<00:03:13.200><c> process</c><00:03:13.680><c> works</c><
• legislators will be spending some time paying attention to those costs and, as we move forward, evaluating

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson and State Patrol Colonel Christina Bogoich announced that weapon screening will begin Tuesday at the Minnesota State Capitol, at the start of the 2026 legislative session. They said the change is based on an independent security assessment and the Axtell report’s top recommendation, and is intended as an added layer of protection rather than a weapons ban or a change in state law. Both officials emphasized that the Capitol should remain open, accessible, and welcoming while reducing preventable risks, citing increased threats nationwide and the recent murders of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman and the shootings of Senator John Hoffman and Yvette Hoffman. Officials said visitors will enter through four public access points, with all other exterior doors closed to public entry. The primary entrance will be the south ground-level entrance, with additional access through tunnels connecting to the Senate building, State Office Building, Parking Lot C, and the Judicial Center. They said the screening process should take only seconds for most people, with bags scanned separately and additional checks only if needed. Prohibited items will not be stored by the Capitol, and the public was told to plan ahead, carry fewer items, and follow staff instructions. The Capitol will close to the general public at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays unless legislative business is still underway, in which case accommodations will be made. In questions, officials said people with valid permit-to-carry authorization may still bring a firearm if it is otherwise legal, but they must declare the permit, show government ID, and go through screening. Elected officials are exempt and will have a separate lane, while staff will be screened. They also said the tunnels will be locked with restricted key-card access, and that the Senate is implementing its own screening, with questions about Senate doors referred there. Jacobson said the State Patrol will cover the costs within its existing budget, and that the process will be evaluated and adjusted as needed to keep it efficient and not a deterrent to visitors.