Transcript Highlights:

• It wastes billions in taxpayer investment, decades of hard-earned experience, and is a direct blow to
• It wastes billions in taxpayer investment, decades of hard-earned experience, and is a direct blow to
• down as the single biggest waste of taxpayer dollars in U.S. history.
• </c><02:13:34.239><c> taxpayer</c> the governor is now wasting taxpayer the governor is now wasting taxpayer
• The days of waste, fraud, and abuse are over.

Bills: HB3351 , HB3095 , HB1450 , HB1716 , HB1764 , HB3395 , HB2384 , HB3357 , HB3339 , HB1469 , HB3343 , HB3382 , HR1043 , HR131 , HR183 , HR672 , HB2625 , HB2170 , SB201 , SB423

Keywords: small business, capital formation, financial regulation, Securities Exchange Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, ZIP Code, postal service, community designation, local governance, postal infrastructure, OFAC, Office of Foreign Assets Control, sanctions, licensing, investigators, private sector firms, nominal transactions, financial transactions, pilot program, FinCEN

Transcript Highlights:

• The second reappropriation is for the zero emission vehicle operations.
• The Budget Act of 2024 transferred the zero emissions programs and associated funding to GoFundMe.
• And certainly around zero emissions.
• taxpayers money to detect to detect waste fraud and abuse? Yeah, the controller has an audit plan.
• recycling act of requires a consumer to pay a covered electronic waste recycling fee or an e-waste fee

Transcript Highlights:

• Does the proposed solid waste facility contribute to the state Solid Waste Management goals, and does
• Mike Whiteman, Director of the Waste Management Division, testified relative to House Bill 215.
• it’s likely to bring in, and where that waste is likely to come from.
• ><c> likely</c><01:53:23.679><c> to</c> in and where that waste is likely to in and where that waste
• </c><04:36:44.639><c> taxpayer</c> doing this same bill wasting taxpayer doing this same bill wasting

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training through the police standards system. Representative Barbara Coma, the sponsor, said the bill was prompted by problems in animal cruelty cases, especially in rural areas without animal control officers, and she described it as a limited training measure. She said an amendment was forthcoming that would add an eight-hour approved course and a two-hour refresher every three years, and she emphasized that the trained officers would serve as resources rather than being required to take action themselves. Members asked about cost, due process, overlap with animal control officers, how trained officers would be identified and notified, and whether veterinarians could fill the role. Coma responded that the bill would not be a heavy financial lift, would not interfere with animal control officers, would apply to livestock as well as companion animals, and would still require law enforcement involvement because veterinarians cannot lawfully remove animals from property. She also said the training could improve due process by helping officers better understand when animal removal is appropriate and how cases should proceed. Sheriff William Wright, speaking for the New Hampshire Sheriffs Association, testified in opposition. He said training itself was acceptable, but the bill went beyond training by creating an obligation for sheriffs and state police to respond to and potentially investigate animal cruelty cases, which he argued would be ambiguous, unfunded, and burdensome for staffing and resources. He said some sheriff’s offices do not have investigative deputies and that the bill could create liability and uncertainty about who would lead investigations. In response to questions, he said the association would likely have no objection if the bill were limited to training, but it opposed the assistance/investigation mandate as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third step is calculating Greenhouse gas emissions.
• Just based on its AADT multiplied ultimately times the emissions, there's going to be more emissions
• So we know that vehicles create emissions.
• Capacity expansions, we know, will increase emissions, but reducing emissions by capital investments
• down to minimize emissions and reduce traffic transport is the major source of costs and emissions associated

Bills: HF4807

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• strengths and deficiencies and ensure that the office can recommend ways to address inefficiencies, waste
• lot will have to be done mechanically and will generate tens of millions of tons of forest biomass waste
• Without using this waste productively, it will be piled, burned, or left to decay as kindling during
• It creates a fund that supports projects that help us sustainably use forest biomass waste created from
• This bill will help reduce future emissions related to open burning and natural decomposition of forest

Summary: The committee heard several energy-related bills, with the chair announcing AB 2200 would be taken on consent. AB 353, by Assembly Member Boerner Horvath, would convert the CPUC’s internal audit office into an Inspector General office to improve transparency and oversight; it drew support from some local and consumer groups and opposition from the California Water Association. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass from wildfire mitigation efforts, with broad support from forestry, labor, local government, and energy groups, and opposition from environmental organizations that argued biomass electricity is costly and polluting. Members asked about the bill’s transparency and ratepayer impacts, and the author said she would work with opponents. Assembly Member Rogers presented AB 1761, which would increase transparency around the PCIA “exit fee” charged to community choice aggregators and other load-serving entities. Supporters said the bill would help CCAs forecast rates and audit calculations, while Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric opposed it, citing market-sensitive data concerns and CPUC oversight. Rogers also presented AB 2369, aimed at improving transmission planning for energy-only projects in rural areas by allowing the CPUC to begin planning before a project is formally proposed; it drew support and no opposition at the hearing, with members noting the need to break the “chicken-and-egg” problem in transmission development. Assembly Member Pacheco presented AB 2124, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would require the California Council on Science and Technology to evaluate the cost and efficacy of proposed legislative mandates affecting utility bills before committee votes. Utilities and labor supported the bill as a way to inform lawmakers about rate impacts, while members questioned the analysis process and timing. Assembly Member Schultz presented AB 1787, which would require investor-owned utilities to offer dynamic electricity rates to customers after smart meter upgrades, with supporters saying it could lower bills and improve grid use; utilities opposed parts of the bill over cybersecurity and cost-shift concerns, though some CCAs moved to neutral after amendments. Finally, Assembly Member Zbur presented AB 2383, a data center rate bill intended to ensure new large loads pay their fair share and do not shift costs to other ratepayers; supporters included labor and oversight groups, while opponents said the bill still lacked key protections on clean energy procurement, transmission costs, demand response, and treatment of existing data centers. The committee also heard AB 2493, by Assembly Member Cardenas Norris, which would impose deadlines, audits, remedial action, and return-on-equity consequences to speed grid interconnection work; clean energy and environmental groups supported it, while utilities opposed it as duplicative and costly, though they said they were willing to keep working on amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• great option and opportunity for Minnesota because investment in them will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Increasing the use of geothermal HVAC systems not only significantly lowers carbon emissions, but will
• Thank you again for your time today. efficiency and reduce emissions need to efficiency and reduce emissions
• capture waste heat from wastewater<00:29:05.279><c> treatment</c><00:29:05.600><c> facilities</c><00
• Right now, the energy is wasted, so it's not used. There is an opportunity to capture it.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota has a goal already in statute to reduce emissions to zero by 2050.
• Emissions.
• Greenhouse gas is the number one source of emissions.
• Greenhouse gas emissions in our country. We have. Just in the last year, 3%.
• of the state's total emissions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This type of packaging would be exempt from the waste management law until the Department of Ecology
• an expiration date from an agricultural fuel exemption in the Climate Commitment Act and exempts emissions
• The bill also has an agricultural production or food storage exemption to hydrofluorocarbon emissions
• Currently, the Department of Ecology administers a refrigerant management program to reduce emissions
• We've got an issue over in Quincy where the city of Quincy doesn't have a waste...

Summary: The Consumer Protection & Business Committee held public hearings on two bills. House Bill 2616, described as an agriculturally resilient markets act, would create a broad package of agriculture-related policies and appropriations, including a strategy to expand state purchasing of Washington-grown food, temporary packaging and emissions exemptions for certain agricultural uses, changes to labor notice rules for agricultural and dairy layoffs, several grant and study programs, a transfer of cannabis production/processing/testing oversight to the Department of Agriculture, and an appropriation for the tree fruit leadership program. Representative Christine Reeves said the bill was intended as a state-level “farm bill” to address farm losses, food security, and regulatory burdens, and she emphasized stakeholder input and the need to support family farms and farmworker well-being. Testimony on HB 2616 was overwhelmingly supportive, with growers, commodity groups, dairy and potato representatives, and other agricultural stakeholders arguing that Washington farms face low margins, high regulatory and labor costs, refrigeration and processing challenges, and competition from foreign producers. Several speakers said the bill’s exemptions, grants, and studies would help keep farms viable and preserve local food production. Committee members asked about stakeholder outreach, the role of Washington State University and commodity commissions, the impact of federal versus state policy, and possible ways to reduce compliance burdens. The hearing ended without a vote, and the chair noted the bill was after cutoff and would not move this year, but that stakeholder meetings would continue over the summer. The committee then heard House Bill 2721, which would create a registration system for commercial interior designers, expand and rename the Board of Architects, set education, examination, and experience requirements, define the scope of practice, require seals and technical submission attestations, and establish penalties and a fee account. Supporters from interior design organizations said the bill would recognize a profession already performing code- and safety-related work in commercial spaces, align Washington with other states and national model law standards, and remove barriers to ownership and advancement, especially for women. Testifiers also said the bill would clarify responsibility for life safety, accessibility, and non-structural interior construction in schools, health care, and public buildings. The committee heard only supportive testimony, but members raised questions about how the profession compares with architecture, the impact of delaying the bill until 2027, and demographic diversity in the field. The chair closed the hearing noting the bill would not advance this session and that further interim work would be needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• E-waste, we have not fully recycled or reconciled e-waste in that fund condition, but SCO reports indicate
• So the more waste you generate, the more you pay.
• So Waste generation data to our department.
• How are the LA fires impacting generation of hazardous waste?
• So fees are not paid on the waste generated.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plans for extreme heat mitigation and outdoor access, then took up SB 54 implementation, SB 707 textile producer responsibility, and recovery needs related to the Los Angeles fires at state parks. For the extreme heat chapter, agencies described funding for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, urban greening, urban forestry, fairground upgrades, and technical assistance for community-based climate programs. Witnesses emphasized that these are existing programs with strong demand, that technical assistance is important for reaching disadvantaged and tribal communities, and that the proposed funding would expand outreach and implementation capacity. Members asked for more detail on where funds have gone geographically, examples of successful projects, tree-planting totals, and how fairgrounds could better support fire staging and emergency preparedness. The LAO said the timing of the administration’s proposed funding generally made sense because the programs are already established, and no votes were taken. For outdoor access, State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources described funding for new parks in underserved communities, deferred maintenance, state lands access, and several new or pending programs. State Parks said the park development program would fund roughly 48 projects and that deferred maintenance funding would address high-priority health, safety, and access needs. Fish and Wildlife said its lands program would improve visitor amenities and access on properties that often lack basic facilities. The Natural Resources Agency also outlined three newer outdoor-access proposals: expanding recreation in disadvantaged communities, enhancing natural resource values and trail access, and a nature/climate/education facilities grant program. The LAO distinguished between existing programs, which are ready to move forward, and the newer proposals, where the Legislature may want more input before funds are allocated. Members also raised concerns about park police vacancies, the need to track outcomes for accessibility investments, and whether Prop. 4 could help with wildfire-related recovery at state parks. CalRecycle then presented on SB 54, the plastics and packaging producer responsibility law, and members pressed hard on the delay in regulations. CalRecycle said it has held workshops, formed an advisory committee, selected the producer responsibility organization, and completed required baseline and covered-material reports, but needs more time to address complex comments and novel features such as source reduction and eco-modulated fees. Members expressed frustration that a statutory deadline was missed and asked for a concrete timeline; CalRecycle said it expects regulations in place by 2026, ahead of the PRO’s January 1, 2027 plan deadline. Finance said the Beverage Container Recycling Fund is currently healthy enough to support short-term loans for implementation. The committee also reviewed SB 707, the textile EPR law, which would create the nation’s first textile producer responsibility program; staff said the proposal would add positions and loan authority, and members noted the statutory deadlines for PRO approval, needs assessment, and later regulations. The hearing ended with discussion of the January Los Angeles fires’ damage to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, where State Parks described extensive losses, emergency response work, and ongoing damage assessment. Members asked about FEMA eligibility, state funding sources, and community engagement in rebuilding, and the department said it is still assessing costs and will work with the public on reimagining the parks.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this here, you know, really delivering energy bill savings and greenhouse gas emissions, but most
• So this here, you know, really delivering energy bill savings and greenhouse gas emissions, but most
• So, emissions, but most importantly, also driving economic development.
• Energy efficiency programs avoid greenhouse gas emissions while offsetting rising electric demand from
• Energy efficiency programs avoid greenhouse gas emissions while offsetting rising electric demand from

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• abuse bloat all of those federal waste abuse bloat all of those types<00:46:51.319><c> of</c><00:46:
• Transport is a major component of both cost and emissions associated with production of construction
• aggregates, although emissions are relatively low for extracting the materials.
• component of both cost and Emissions associated<01:01:23.160><c> with</c><01:01:23.680><c> production
• making asphalt production more emissions making asphalt production more efficient<01:05:10.079><c> and

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 599 by Assemblymember Connolly, an act relating to hazardous waste.
• It is wasteful. We do not have the funds for this.
• Assembly Bill 864 by Assembly Ward in accolade to hazardous waste.
• That do not send organic waste to landfills.
• Assembly Bill 70 by Assemblymember Akra Akuri, an act relating to solid waste.

Transcript Highlights:

• California's progress toward a zero-emission future depends on smart, adaptable policies like SB 533
• Diesel emissions cause cancer, harm vegetation, and contribute to climate change.
• This bill aims to reduce the ongoing harm caused by emissions from California's diesel engines once we
• Reducing diesel emissions at our ports will lead to cleaner air for millions of Californians.
• This bill asks our state agencies to study the emissions from this waste and come up with a strategy

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, observed a moment of silence for John Burton, and proceeded with the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural motions. Members approved a rule suspension to allow floor amendments on SB 271 and SB 67, and several committee notices and bill referrals were handled. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading file, with many bills passed and a number of items temporarily passed or retained on file. Among the major measures approved were bills on civil rights and public safety (SB 477, SB 19, SB 36, SB 571, SB 580), health care and coverage (SB 257 on pregnancy as a qualifying life event, SB 530 on Medi-Cal access standards, SB 660 on health data exchange, SB 754 on menstrual product contaminant disclosure), housing and disaster recovery (SB 610, SB 655), transportation and climate (SB 533 on EV charging payments, SB 30 on diesel locomotives, SB 71 on CEQA exemptions for transit, SB 263 on tariff impacts), and natural resources/energy (SB 283 on battery storage safety, SB 88 on biomass emissions, SB 427 extending the Habitat Conservation Fund). The Assembly also passed urgency measures including SB 864 on tribal gaming compacts, SB 663 on wildfire-related property tax relief, SB 471 expanding DDS ombudsman authority, and SB 497 on privacy protections for legally protected health services. Several bills drew notable debate. SB 41 on pharmacy benefit managers saw opposition over concerns about moving ahead before broader PBM data and licensing reforms take effect, but it still passed. AB 1340, a concurrence item on gig worker collective bargaining rights, prompted extended debate over labor rights, consumer costs, and union influence. Other concurrence items included AB 671 on restaurant permitting, which passed without opposition. The Assembly also took up SB 640 on direct admission to CSU, SB 702 on demographic reporting for appointees, SB 710 preserving a solar property tax exclusion, and SB 793 on counterfeit lighter safety, all of which passed. The session ended with the Assembly continuing through the file, including concurrence votes and additional bill actions, with most measures approved by substantial margins.

Transcript Highlights:

• Travis Dutton, representing the Washington State Association of Counties and our County Solid Waste Programs
• Counties rely heavily on it to manage our household hazardous waste programs.
• Division, and eliminate gasoline lead emissions programs, which are collectively making great progress
• Codification of a state-level aviation noise emissions account through this bill would be tantamount
• Thank you. 13% of all King County greenhouse gas emissions. The journey has been too long.

Bills: SB5989 , SB5898 , SB6240 , SB6244 , SB6231 , SB6228 , SB6220

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue, aeronautics, taxation, aircraft fuel, state funding, aviation fuel, hazardous substance tax, air quality, noise mitigation, environmental impact, tax exemption, agriculture, hazardous substances, crop protection, warehousing, data center

Transcript Highlights:

• Travis Dutton, representing the Washington State Association of Counties and our county solid waste programs
• Counties rely heavily on it to manage our household hazardous waste programs.
• Division, and eliminate gasoline lead emissions programs, which are collectively making great progress
• Codification of a state-level aviation noise emissions account through this bill would be tantamount
• Thank you. 13% of all King County greenhouse gas emissions. The journey has been too long.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on aircraft fuel taxes, hearing from WSDOT Aviation about the FAA’s aviation fuel tax rules, Washington’s compliance history, and the potential consequences of noncompliance. WSDOT said the state has collected roughly $210 million in aviation fuel taxes since the federal compliance period began, and that FAA has questioned some of the state’s claimed offsets. Members asked about the federal authority behind the rules, who pays the taxes, and whether Boeing is affected. The committee then moved to public hearing on several bills tied to aviation fuel tax revenue. SB 5989 would redirect a small share of state sales and use tax on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account and require reporting on airport project funding. Supporters, including port, airport, and pilot groups, said it was a measured step toward FAA compliance and airport investment; the bill’s staff summary said it would reduce general fund revenue and increase DOR costs. SB 5898 would redirect hazardous substance, petroleum products, and oil spill-related taxes on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account. Supporters said it would bring Washington into compliance and help airports, while Ecology, counties, and ports warned it would significantly reduce MTCA and related environmental funding. SB 6240 would create a new noise and air quality mitigation account funded by a portion of hazardous substance tax revenue; airport and aviation groups opposed it as duplicative or noncompliant with FAA rules, while community and environmental advocates from Sea-Tac area cities supported it as a needed mitigation source. The committee also heard SB 6244, which would extend a hazardous substance tax exemption for certain pesticides used in Washington agriculture through 2038. Agricultural and logistics witnesses supported it as important for food security, storage, and competitiveness, and staff said it would have a small revenue loss and administrative cost. SB 6231, a governor-request bill, would repeal the sales tax exemption for data center refurbishments while keeping the exemption for original server equipment; OFM and local government groups supported it as a revenue-raising budget measure, while data center, labor, and business representatives opposed it, warning of lost investment, jobs, and competitiveness. SB 6228 would repeal the preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers; OFM supported it as an outdated preference, but pharmacies, wholesalers, and business groups argued the cost would be passed through to pharmacies, hospitals, insurers, and patients and could worsen pharmacy closures. The committee then heard SB 6220, which would narrow and clarify a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income homeownership property by allowing temporary community use and preserving the exemption when property is transferred to another exempt nonprofit. The sponsor said the bill was intended to let a community land trust host local performances without jeopardizing affordable housing plans. Finally, the committee heard SB 5880, which would allow blood and breath toxicology results to be admissible if tested by ISO/IEC 17025-certified labs, in addition to the state toxicologist process. Seattle’s city attorney supported it as a way to reduce a long toxicology backlog and speed DUI cases, while counties raised concerns about shifting costs to local governments and creating unequal access based on local resources. No votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy efficiency, and invested in climate resilience
• </c><00:02:47.800><c> improved</c><00:02:48.280><c> Energy</c> greenhouse gas emissions improved Energy
• greenhouse gas emissions improved Energy Efficiency<00:02:49.599><c> and</c><00:02:49.760><c> invested
• </c><00:09:11.120><c> economy-wide</c> greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions
• </c> you have my Pledge on questions of waste you have my Pledge on questions of waste and<01:02:08.799

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• warranty and maintenance provisions, advanced clean trucks, zero-emission airport shuttle, zero-emission
• ><c> maintenance</c> emission warranty and maintenance emission warranty and maintenance provisions.<
• </c><02:20:49.760><c> Zero</c><02:20:50.319><c> emission</c> emission airport shuttle.
• Zero emission emission airport shuttle.
• </c><02:56:23.120><c> and</c> reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and

Bills: HJR60 , HB1442 , HR859 , HR1402 , HR354

Keywords: Glen Canyon, National Park Service, environmental regulation, motor vehicles, congressional disapproval, sodium nitrite, poisoning prevention, consumer product safety, banned hazardous product, youth poisoning, public health, toxic chemicals, online sales, retail regulation, industrial chemicals, food additives, meat curing, poultry products, egg products, FDA

Transcript Highlights:

• odorless gas with an addictiveness similar to crack cocaine that poses serious public health, safety, and waste
• this bill aims to reduce youth access, prevent impaired driving, and protect workers in California's waste
• Tony Hackett on behalf of Californians Against Waste in support.
• Read Addus on behalf of Rethink Waste in support. Thank you.
• by 2035 and having 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> a</c><03:15:47.600><c> significant</c> aware that waste is a significant aware that waste is a significant
• But of course, we know that nuclear doesn't have carbon emissions.
• But of course, we know that nuclear doesn't have carbon emissions.
• Even if we address the waste and great.
• As I said before, this to to the waste.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:23:16.000><c> by</c><00:23:16.159><c> 2050</c> net zero emissions by 2050 net zero emissions
• um it then also creates a emissions um it then also creates a mechanism<00:24:57.720><c> to</c><00:24
• of a a highway re the carbon emissions of a a highway re repair<00:26:26.880><c> I</c><00:26:26.960>
• fraud abuse is because we're waste fraud abuse is because we're farming<00:41:10.319><c> out</c><00:
• I won't waste any more time. Can you get me those fundamental numbers on how that's all decided?

Bills: HF198 , HF269 , HF185 , HF303 , HF305 , HF189

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF198, shared time pupils, shared-time enrollment, nonpublic school, private school, public school, career and technical education, CTE, secondary credit, school funding, state aid, education finance, Minnesota Statutes 126C.01, compulsory attendance, school district, education policy, HF269, Spicer, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment