Transcript Highlights:

• It's very simple in that it amends the definition of building official as it pertains to the Building
• The state works on a 45-day period.
• of Israel in the United States.
• Well stated for your encouragement.
• So it's an agency via the state with state model, state statute. But don't get caught up.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, Secretary of State Phil McGrane for the great state of Idaho.
• on State Street.
• I serve on the Ada County Historic Preservation Council and on the Idaho State Historic Sites Review
• I appreciate it when folks that work for state agencies, and when I was on council, folks would come
• own, they put forth a call to the states and said states, if you want to have your own state level regulation

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved the March 16 and March 17, 2026 minutes. It then introduced RS 33798, a proposal related to cooperative and group discount purchasing in the Department of Administration procurement division, and sent it for printing. The main policy item was Senate Bill 1422, a major rewrite of Idaho campaign finance law. Senator Harris and Secretary of State Phil McGrane said the bill would move the laws into Title 74, reorganize reporting rules, prohibit foreign contributions, require new disclosures for signature-gathering and independent expenditures, add pre-primary and pre-general reports, increase contribution limits modestly, and create a graduated fine structure. Questions focused on reporting thresholds, commercial recordkeeping, and the distinction between reporting violations and other violations. The committee voted to send SB 1422 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 889, a broad update to the State Procurement Act. Representative Britt Raibolt said the bill clarifies procurement definitions, best-and-final-offer procedures, use of subject-matter experts, multiple-award contracts, bid scoring, prior performance, federal CMS approval timing, confidentiality of technical information, debarment, cooling-off periods, protest bonds, and disclosure of procurement-related spending. He said the goal was to improve consistency, transparency, and efficiency in large state procurements. After brief questions about the need for the overhaul and the definition of frivolous protests, the committee voted to send HB 889 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. House Bill 890, also presented by Raibolt, would repeal a surplus-property carve-out used in the ITD building sale and return disposal of surplus administrative property to the regular process under the State Board of Land Commissioners. The committee also advanced HB 900, which sets procedures for private insurance claims over $100,000 involving state property damage, requires appraisal opportunities, public notice of settlement offers, and a public hearing plus legislative notice if an agency relocates services or sells property after such a claim. Both bills received due pass recommendations. The longest discussion was on House Bill 898, which would move the State Historic Preservation Office from the Idaho State Historical Society into the new Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination. Senator Den Hartog said the move would improve coordination on federal permitting and preserve SHPO’s functions, while opponents argued the current placement supports preservation work, grants, archives, and Section 106 review, and that moving SHPO into an office focused on energy and minerals could create conflicts of interest and weaken preservation outcomes. Testimony came from historians, preservation professionals, local commission members, utility and water industry representatives, and a youth witness, with supporters emphasizing streamlined permitting and opponents emphasizing mission alignment and public trust. The sponsor closed by saying the bill complies with federal law and that federal law allows states flexibility in where to house the office; the transcript ends before any final committee action on HB 898.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes. consistent across our state. So, I'm in consistent across our state.
• </c> state law? state law?
• codes, impact fees, etc.
• </c> application across the state. application across the state.
• </c> Granite State. Granite State.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You, through the state general funds, subsidize this to a great degree through state aid to schools.
• You, through the state general funds, subsidize this to a great degree through state aid to schools.
• You, through the state general funds, subsidize this to a great degree through state aid to schools.
• Second, it holds you harmless at the state level from the state aid implications of that property not
• The rest of the state.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee approved the February 2, 2026 minutes and held Senate Bill 1090. It then took up SB 1503, which would require pension fiduciaries and proxy advisory firms to base voting and advice solely on economic interests, prohibit ESG or ideological considerations except in limited circumstances, and authorize attorney general enforcement. The sponsor said the bill was meant to protect investors and align with federal action; supporters argued proxy advisors lack transparency and can influence votes against shareholders’ financial interests. Arizona retirement system representatives said they were neutral but warned the bill would add major operational costs, create reporting burdens, increase litigation risk, and could narrow the market for proxy advisory services. The committee passed SB 1503 on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1293, which would bar GPLET abatements from applying to school-district revenue during the eight-year abatement period. Supporters said the bill would protect school funding and reduce the state aid backfill tied to GPLET projects, while opponents from Phoenix, Mesa, and economic development groups said GPLET is a key redevelopment tool that helps finance downtown and blighted-area projects and that the bill would weaken future investment. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1293 on a 4-3 vote. It also heard and passed SB 1414, which gives insurers 30 days to review and respond to third-party settlement demands; insurers supported the bill as a reasonable commercial timeframe, while trial lawyers opposed it as too slow and urged a 15-day standard, with members indicating they expected a possible friendly amendment. Next, the committee heard SB 1633, which would create an Arizona income tax subtraction for capital gains from the sale of a primary residence, after five years of occupancy. Opponents argued it would mainly benefit wealthy homeowners and could cost the state tens of millions annually, while the sponsor said it could help homeowners move without facing large tax bills and improve housing turnover. The committee passed the bill 4-2. It also adopted an amendment to SB 1429, which would have expanded Arizona Commerce Authority board ex officio membership, then held the bill for further consideration. Finally, the committee passed SB 1536, allowing temporary consolidation of street light improvement districts, and heard SB 1724, which clarifies when property splits or consolidations trigger limited property value recalculation, with county assessors supporting the measure as an anti-gaming reform.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state property was here before New Mexico became the state.
• How much is tuition at New Mexico Military Institute for in-state and out-of-state? Mr.
• The State Investment Council does manage a couple of ours.
• We are on time and we are on budget for a state building, which is pretty phenomenal. Excellent!
• Are we building to state standards or federal standards or whatever standards that we need?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We come to you on behalf of the students in our state. We pray that students in our state.
• </c><00:35:45.640><c> as</c> state and looking at out of state as state and looking at out of state as
• </c> northern states as well. northern states as well. Bordering<00:42:10.360><c> states.
• </c> Bordering states. Bordering states.
• </c><00:42:49.120><c> high-aid</c><00:42:50.280><c> state,</c> really high state-funded high-aid state

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met for its first summer interim meeting, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and took roll. The first presentation came from Jerry Gels, principal of Ignite Institute in Erlanger, who focused on the rising cost of dual credit. He said dual credit tuition has increased from about $150 to $290 for a three-credit course over roughly five years, which he argued is discouraging participation, especially for working-class and low-income students. He cited Ignite data and broader college outcomes to argue dual credit improves college persistence, shortens time to degree, and reduces student debt, noting that many of his students enter college with substantial credit and that low-income students at Ignite have increasingly participated after targeted efforts and scholarship use. He also said the instructional labor is largely paid by county school systems, so he questioned the size of the tuition increase and said the committee should examine how the costs are being set and whether college tuition should be stabilizing as more students arrive with credits already earned. Members asked about who pays for dual credit, the role of state scholarship support, and whether tuition varies by institution. Gels said students in his district generally pay the dual credit cost themselves, though some districts may cover it, and he noted the dual credit scholarship now covers fewer classes than before. He said the price appears to be set centrally rather than varying by university, and he emphasized that the higher cost is creating barriers even though the courses are taught largely by local teachers on school payrolls. He also described Ignite’s efforts to expand access for free- and reduced-lunch students, saying participation among that group rose from 27% with no dual credit to about 90-92% taking at least one dual credit class. The committee then heard from the Goldwater Institute, represented by Michael Frazier and Dr. Tim Minella by Zoom. They argued Kentucky’s public universities should face stronger accountability and transparency, citing declining public confidence in higher education, rising costs, and what they described as administrative growth and research spending that does not clearly benefit students or the Commonwealth. They proposed requiring a 10-year accounting of staffing growth by category, comparing it to enrollment and low-income Kentucky enrollment, and limiting non-STEM faculty teaching releases for research unless approved under a baseline consent process. They also criticized certain university-funded research projects as examples of misdirected spending and said public reporting should distinguish Kentucky residents from non-residents more clearly, pointing to a reported decline in low-income in-state undergraduate enrollment. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• auditor, JLARC, OSPI, the State Board of Education... ...of representation from the state auditor, JLARC
• , OSPI, the State Board of Education, the Executive Director of the State Charter School Commission,
• And there are some things that we do at a state level.
• And there are some things that we do at a state level.
• This builds on prevention.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on three K-12 bills focused on behavioral health, literacy, and review of education mandates. On House Bill 1634, staff and Rep. Milin Tai described a framework for OSPI and educational service districts to coordinate with state and local partners on behavioral health technical assistance and training for schools, aligned with the Washington Thriving prenatal-to-25 plan. Testifiers, including students and education/behavioral health representatives, said the bill would improve coordination, early intervention, and access to supports for students and families. The bill was presented as having no fiscal note because it relies on existing funding, and testimony emphasized parent and student engagement in the framework. On House Bill 2636, staff and Rep. Skyler Rude explained that the bill creates a Public Education Review Steering Committee to identify existing policies and funding provisions for JLARC review, with the goal of determining whether they achieve intended outcomes, improve student performance, are cost-effective, and should be maintained, modified, or repealed. Supporters said the bill is intended to help reduce burdensome or ineffective requirements on school districts and free resources for students, while some members questioned how the committee would define policy and whether it could affect future mandates. A representative of the Washington State School Directors Association supported the concept as a meaningful review of unfunded mandates. The committee also heard House Bill 1295, which would require evidence-aligned literacy curriculum updates after 2027, require comprehensive K-4 literacy programs using structured literacy practices, direct PESB to revise literacy endorsement standards, require literacy-related continuing education, and direct OSPI to develop educator literacy training. Supporters, including parents, educators, students, dyslexia advocates, and district staff, argued that structured literacy is supported by research and would improve outcomes for struggling readers and students with dyslexia. One witness from the Washington Education Association supported the bill but raised concern about adding another continuing-education requirement. Testimony on the bill was extensive and largely in favor, with some discussion about whether the approach would address older students and how it would interact with existing district and ESD efforts. After public hearings, the committee moved into executive session and approved three gubernatorial appointments for confirmation recommendation. It adopted an amendment to House Bill 1796 and advanced the bill to Ways and Means, passed Engrossed House Bill 2317 to Rules, and adopted a striking amendment to Substitute House Bill 2594 before advancing it to Ways and Means. All actions were taken by voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• All other support and opposition can be stated at the standing mic when called upon to simply state name
• All other support and opposition can be stated at the standing mic when called upon to simply state name
• of the state, this bill provides... regulatory functions of the state for water resources the board
• ...than any state in the union.
• Green Building Council California, Zero Waste Marin, Zero Waste San Diego, and Zero Waste Sonoma in support

Summary: The committee heard a series of environmental safety and toxic materials measures, with several bills moving forward on unanimous or near-unanimous votes to Appropriations. Early in the meeting, the consent calendar was approved, including AB 372, AB 455, AB 1096, AB 1102, and AB 754. AB 362 by Assembly Member Ramos, which would recognize tribal beneficial uses of water and strengthen consultation and protection for tribal water uses, drew strong support from tribes and environmental groups. Water agencies and local government representatives opposed unless amended, raising concerns about CEQA requirements, co-management language, and conflicts with existing water law. The bill advanced to Appropriations, with some members voting aye and others not voting or absent. AB 728 by Assembly Member Lee would require age verification for the sale of certain anti-aging skin care products to minors. The author and a youth witness described social media-driven use of adult skin products by children and alleged skin damage, while supporters argued age checks are a reasonable consumer protection. Dermatologists and retailers opposed the bill, saying it could restrict legitimate acne and other medical uses of over-the-counter products, create compliance problems, and lacked a clear scientific basis. The committee discussed possible ambiguity in the bill’s definition of anti-aging products, but the measure still passed to Appropriations. AB 532 on low-income water rate assistance, AB 773 on copper-based anti-fouling paint, AB 998 on household hazardous waste disposal of vape pens, AB 1031 on geothermal hazardous waste fees, and AB 864 on solar panel hazardous waste and recycling all received strong support and advanced to Appropriations. Supporters for AB 532 emphasized water affordability and local program authority; AB 773 supporters said conflicting state water and pesticide rules are creating confusion for harbors and cities; AB 998 was presented as a practical way to let schools and local facilities dispose of confiscated vape devices safely; AB 1031 was framed as reducing DTSC fee burdens on geothermal development in Imperial County; and AB 864 would ease recycling and reuse of end-of-life solar panels. The committee also began hearing AB 1264 on ultra-processed foods in school meals, with the author and supporters arguing it would phase out the most harmful ultra-processed foods from school meals by 2032, but the transcript cuts off before the full discussion and any action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Council.
• Kristen Heidelbach, here on behalf of UFCW Western States Council, proud co-sponsors of AB 446.
• I was a proud college athlete at the University of Long Beach State, the city I chose to build my small
• is a United States citizen.
• is a United States citizen.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Still talked about this in the building code context. They don't care for building codes.
• They pride themselves on not following building codes and being able to build in accordance with the
• </c><01:45:52.639><c> code</c> talked about this in the building code talked about this in the building
• They want to build what they want codes.
• </c><01:46:30.880><c> in</c> codes and being able to build in codes and being able to build in accordance

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every time we try to enforce our building code on these structures, the billboard companies threaten
• Any city, county, or state agency that requires a building permit for work beyond the currently permitted
• folks the flexibility to make this a state holiday.
• We are the most diverse state in the country.
• We are the most diverse state in the country.

Committee: House Governmental Organization

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I told you we have about 188,000 members in the state.
• These are all areas where state policy can make a real difference.
• We're working to build out an executive dashboard.
• for all providers, are clearly outlined in Idaho Code.
• You know, you all are a nimble state.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is the advisory council.
• voice on this council.
• The advisory council meeting will be January 30th, as Oz has told us, at the Members Lounge at the State
• In November, legislation was passed and signed into law around medical records, state access to state
• employment within state government.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities held its quarterly virtual meeting and approved the September minutes. Chair Denise Garlick opened with updates on the commission’s first “Meeting the Moment” community forum in Needham, reporting strong attendance, a large resource fair, and mostly positive survey feedback. Commissioners said the event was valuable for connecting advocates, providers, and people with disabilities, while also noting lessons learned about accessibility, timing, and the need for more networking time and advance materials. The chair said the commission is planning future forums in other regions, including possible sites in Lowell, Northampton, and the South Shore. A major item was the new advisory council. Oz Osmondahar and Eman described the outreach and screening process, which drew roughly 60 nominations and emphasized lived experience, sector expertise, geographic diversity, and connections to broader networks. The council will serve as strategic advisors and thought partners, meet twice a year, and hold its first in-person orientation on January 30 at the State House Members Lounge. Commissioners were encouraged to stay engaged with the council and use it to strengthen commission and subcommittee work. Subcommittee reports covered employment, workforce supports, and long-term services and supports/health equity. The Disability Employment Subcommittee reported collaboration with SEED, a presentation at the Employment Matters Conference, a discussion with a disability employee resource group, and upcoming work with CED and veterans advocates. The Workforce Supports Subcommittee heard from the MassHealth Policy Commission’s Behavioral Health Workforce Center about workforce data gaps and an upcoming needs assessment, and plans to host ADDP on 2025 workforce metrics. The long-term services and supports committee discussed the Housing Navigator program, barriers to accessible housing, and concerns about how federal cuts could affect disability services and health equity. The commission also heard from DDS Deputy General Counsel Erin Brown and Associate Commissioner Chris Klaskin on a new law expanding access to records from former state institutions, including new notification and privacy procedures and a forthcoming regulatory process with public input. Commissioners welcomed the law as a step toward transparency and dignity. Amen gave an executive director update on the annual report, recent collaboration with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, a national state-employer practice group, and the IDD/Autism Alliance working group. The meeting also included a moment of reflection for disability activist Alice Wong, a commissioner announcement about Work Without Limits’ virtual career fair, and adjournment after a motion and second were approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've been employed those around the state.
• Anything we deploy on a state highway system.
• Our state we know people are are flooding the state 8 to 1200. Today's number.
• We get to the urban area for that project building up over time and then match it with state funds or
• I think in my case I've got a state statute that references might Pinellas Planning Council as having

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please welcome retired United States Army Major Veronica Zura.
• Please welcome retired United States Army Major Veronica Zura.
• As an out-LGBTQ+ leader, she is committed to building inclusion.
• Scott helped build the foundation. B.
• Former fellows have applied to the State Assembly and State Senate fellowship programs and have landed

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code.
• To put in state code.
• unused provision of code.
• provision of code.
• The State Board, the State Department, and teachers were all involved in a council working on this draft

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bargaining Council, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the State Code Agency's Teachers Association
• As the state builds units, we must build for everyone.
• If all buildings in our state were built for 5% accessibility, there would still be Nebraskans living
• This is a state that has made it very hard to build affordable housing.
• Council, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the State Code Agency Teachers Association.

Bills: LR509 , LR510 , LR511

Keywords: congratulations, Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame, Deloris Marshall Adamson, recognition, achievement, service, retirement, Nebraska Legislature, public service, legislature, Nebraska, 956, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the transportation system worthy of our great state.
• We’re not the only state that’s facing this issue, so...
• We’re not the only state that’s facing this issue.
• The state in the past has done a lot of toll, excuse me, the state has supported a lot of our local partners
• But one of the most significant ones is how is the state...

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met to consider several items, beginning with gubernatorial appointments not required to appear. The committee approved multiple appointments on 3-2 and 5-0 votes, including members to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Contractors State License Board, and the Medical Board of California. Members also approved a bill referral item, a rule waiver request to suspend SR 55 for guests on the Senate floor during an adjourn-in-memory for former President Pro Tempore John Burton, and floor acknowledgment items, all by 5-0 vote. The committee then heard the required appearance of Dina El-Tawansy for Director of the California Department of Transportation. In her opening remarks, she emphasized Caltrans’ priorities of safety, equity, climate resilience, economic prosperity, workforce development, and multimodal transportation. Senators questioned her on a range of issues, including impacts from federal and state rules affecting immigrant truck drivers, the Highway 58 truck climbing lane project, DBE reevaluation under new federal guidance, asphalt recycling and waste disposal, climate-related damage to infrastructure, and the future of transportation funding as gas tax revenue declines. El-Tawansy said Caltrans would prioritize emergency and safety projects, continue work on the Highway 58 corridor, and help DBEs through a reevaluation process and outreach efforts. She described ongoing climate adaptation work, including vulnerability assessments, vegetation management, and corridor studies such as Route 37 and LOSSAN, and said the department is researching road user charges through pilots and national collaboration. She also discussed small-business programs, local hiring, toll lane agreement consistency, and efforts to address litter and homelessness on Caltrans property through delegated maintenance agreements and new staff positions. After public testimony from numerous transportation, construction, local government, labor, and technology organizations in support of the nominee, the committee voted 5-0 to advance El-Tawansy’s appointment to the full Senate floor for confirmation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Allowed us to build a 2 million gallon reservoir.
• And right in the middle you see a state line.
• We have struck that the council will...
• states with that emergency because there was no mechanism in statute to reimburse the state of Idaho
• When we are moving our firefighters onto an incident code of some kind or an agreement code, we are removing

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the state of Idaho was not able to send personnel to assist those states with that emergency because
• When we are moving our firefighters onto an incident code of some kind or an agreement code, we are removing
• When we are moving our firefighters onto an incident code of some kind or an agreement code, we are removing
• When we are moving our firefighters onto an incident code of some kind or an agreement code, we are removing
• When we are moving our firefighters onto an incident code of some kind or an agreement code, we are removing

Summary: The committee first waited for a quorum, then heard presentations from North Idaho irrigation districts on water management challenges. Brandon Rose of Hayden Lake Irrigation District described rapid growth, groundwater pumping, a new reservoir and main replacement project, and concerns about aquifer and lake impacts. Barney Metz of Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District discussed the Palouse Basin aquifer decline, LOID’s mixed domestic and irrigation system, ESA and tribal issues, a proposed water exchange, and problems caused by urban encroachment and fiber installation damaging water infrastructure. Ron Wilson of East Green Acres Irrigation District described aging infrastructure, grant-funded upgrades, workforce training, aquifer coordination through the Idaho-Washington Aquifer Collaborative, and similar damage from broadband construction. Members raised concerns about “do-not-dig” enforcement and liability for utility damage, but no formal action was taken on the presentations. The committee then took up Senate Concurrent Resolution 119, which Representative Van der Woude said highlighted water needs in Region 2 and growth-related recharge issues in the Treasure Valley. The committee moved the resolution to the floor with a due pass recommendation. After that, the committee considered several Idaho Department of Water Resources fee rules. It approved the Shoshone-Bannock Water Bank rule docket and the Water District 34 rule docket after brief questions, but held the stream channel alteration rule docket at the call of the chair after members raised concerns about revised definitions, especially the “100-year flood” language, fish habitat terminology, and whether the edits were clearer or more restrictive. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 746, which would expand Idaho Department of Lands deficiency warrants to cover reimbursable non-fire emergency uses of fire resources, such as flooding response, pumps, incident command support, and prescribed fire or fuels work. Testimony from the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association and the Department of Lands said the bill would improve flexibility, keep Idaho resources available for mutual aid, and not create non-reimbursable obligations, though it could temporarily affect spending authority until reimbursement is received. Members questioned definitions, reimbursement timing, budget impacts, and whether existing agreements could address the issue. No final vote on the bill was shown in the transcript excerpt.