Transcript Highlights:

• As usual, the data that's used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment rate will be finalized this
• As usual, the data that's used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment rate will be finalized this
• The state's unemployment rate has generally increased over the past few years.
• Completion rates rose 36% from 2023 to 2024, and of completers 83% finished within a year.
• As we look at employment rates, we are also seeing very positive returns for our students.

Transcript Highlights:

• may be lower than another rate structure someplace else.
• That's simply not true in the rural parts of the community... ...rates.
• Mojave Electric, for example, is in for a four and a half percent rate increase.
• It's the first time in 10 years that they've had a rate increase, and I commend them. Mr.
• Who are coming in and asking for 10, 14, 15% rate increases almost every year at this point.

Bills: SB1246 , SB1338 , SB1428 , SB1443 , SB1501 , SB1566 , SB1571 , SB1645 , SB1646 , SB1663 , SB1688 , SB1805 , SB1808 , SB1825 , SCR1023 , SCR1029 , HB2079 , HB2080 , HB2130 , HB2239 , HB2324 , HB2375 , HB2610 , HB2619 , HB2620 , HB2716 , HB2745 , HB2749 , HB2837 , HB2857 , HB2968 , HB4064 , HB4066 , HB4087 , HB4130 , HCR2048 , HCR2058

Committees: Senate Government , Senate Senate Government Committee of Reference

Keywords: homeowners associations, foreclosure, common expense liens, condominiums, special assessments, unit owner, public benefits, eligibility, immigration status, documentation, Arizona law, county governance, supervisorial board, population-based representation, local government, elections, noise pollution, environmental nuisances, building permits, urban development

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is largely a function of financing and interest rates.
• Furthermore, market-rate real estate operates cyclically. We have booms. We have busts.
• Furthermore, market rate, real estate operates cyclically. We have booms. We have bust.
• I was saying that there's a significant part of the cost is the permanent loan interest rate.
• , just by a half a percent decrease in interest rate going from a 6 percent permanent interest rate loan

Summary: The Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation met to examine how industrialized construction, including modular, panelized, manufactured, and 3D-printed building methods, could help lower California’s housing costs and speed delivery. Chair Buffy Wicks opened by describing the committee’s purpose as a cross-cutting effort to address construction costs, drawing on visits to factories in Sweden, Idaho, and Indiana. Members from both the committee and invited participants broadly agreed that California’s housing crisis is driven not only by land use and permitting, but also by high construction costs, labor shortages, and a lack of scalable innovation. Ben Metcalf of UC Berkeley’s Turner Center provided the main policy overview, saying California needs roughly 2.5 million additional homes by 2030 and that multifamily construction costs in the state can be far higher than in Texas or Colorado. He said factory-built housing can reduce hard costs and timelines under the right conditions, but barriers remain in financing, local code and design review, uncertain demand pipelines, and fragmented research and data. In response to committee questions, he discussed possible state actions such as pro-housing incentives, state-backed purchasing or subsidies, more standardized approvals, and better research infrastructure. Members also raised the need to involve labor and building trades in the process. A panel of developers and builders then described projects and cost savings from factory-built and related methods. Caleb Rupp of Pacific Companies said modular construction can save about 20% on average and cited a project where modular delivery reduced the need for public subsidy by $18 million; he suggested incentives such as tax exemptions, state-owned sites, third-party inspections, and limits on local code variation. Lois Kim of Mutual Housing California described a pipeline of more than 660 units across six jurisdictions, saying a predictable factory pipeline can reduce construction time by about 40% and total development costs by at least 10%. Danny Haber of O’WOW said standardized design, componentized construction, and mass timber can cut costs substantially, while also criticizing outdated codes, utility hookup fees, and financing costs. Donna Jamian of Emergent Construction described California’s first code-approved 3D concrete printing projects, including homes in Redding and work on a commercial building and fire-recovery projects in Altadena. She said current codes have not caught up to the technology and asked for participation in local self-certification programs. Committee members asked about the role of state incentives, code alignment, financing support, and how to build developer confidence after failures like Katerra. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further hearings and a forthcoming white paper with policy recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This will be a 20-year loan with a 1.25% interest rate and was approved at KIA's May 1 board meeting.
• This will be a 20-year loan with a 1.25% interest rate and was approved at the May 1 KIA board meeting
• This will be a 15-year loan with a 1.25% interest rate and was approved at the May 1 KIA board meeting
• </c><00:29:51.679><c> The</c><00:29:51.919><c> funding</c> with a 1.25% interest rate.
• The funding with a 1.25% interest rate.

Summary: The meeting began with routine business, including a quorum call, approval of the April minutes, and several informational reports. Those information items covered upcoming general obligation debt for Bullitt, Jefferson, and Warren counties; Kentucky Communications Network Authority updates tied to House Bill 6; Eastern Kentucky University asset preservation reallocations under House Bill 1; and School Facilities Construction Commission debt activity, including 20 prior debt issues totaling about $386 million with roughly 85% locally supported debt service and 15% SFCC participation. Members then discussed concerns about a Kentucky Communications Network Authority project, focusing on a reported discrepancy between an appropriation of $12.927 million and an apparent payment of about $8.532 million on a project with a cost estimate of $12.449 million. Several members asked for more detailed written information before the next Capital Projects meeting, noting that a lawsuit is pending and that they wanted to better understand the basis for the request and the spending to date. The committee also heard and unanimously approved a donor-funded Northern Kentucky University project to renovate tennis courts, with possible pickleball additions, after questions about why approval was needed, the project’s estimated $3 million cost, and its expected minimal ongoing operating costs. The committee next received Kentucky State University pool allocation reports for three projects: a $2 million McCullen Hall renovation, a $1.75 million walkway and miscellaneous repairs project, and a $2 million academic services building roof-and-window project. A member asked specifically about curb cuts and accessibility in the walkway project, and Kentucky State said existing curb cuts would be repaired and additional accessibility issues would be reviewed by engineers. The lease report from the Finance and Administration Cabinet included one lease modification requiring approval for the Attorney General’s office in Franklin County and one no-action modification for the Board of Cosmetology; the Attorney General lease was approved by roll call vote. Finally, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority presented five loans and 37 grants, with action taken on the loan and grant items. The loans included a Hodgenville wastewater treatment plant increase, a Grant County sewer district treatment plant loan, a Mount Sterling dam rehabilitation loan, and two Morganfield drinking water loans for granular activated carbon treatment, one with full principal forgiveness. Members asked about the Morganfield project’s purpose and were told it was a remediation effort for a water-quality concern, and they also raised questions about engineering fees, which KIA said are compared against a U.S. Rural Development fee schedule that is industry accepted. The committee also reviewed cleaner water program grant reallocations from county allocation pools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Weed Union and SISCU is a facility rated. Several of you... We progress here.
• Weed Union and SISCU is a facility rated.
• It's predominantly driven by low birth rates, historically low birth rates.
• There are other factors, but the birth rates are the number one.
• And so when rates — and generally school districts don't get favorable rates because it's done on a meter-by-meter

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met for its annual Proposition 98 overview, with Chair Alvarez outlining the committee’s focus on K-12 funding, student outcomes, and use of one-time funds. Superintendent Tony Thurmond gave an update on education issues, including wildfire recovery support for affected school communities, ongoing concerns about federal threats to education funding and immigration enforcement, progress on literacy and math, dual-language immersion, educator housing, and support for dual enrollment. Members broadly expressed support for these priorities, while also raising concerns about implementation, funding stability, and the need for schools to remain safe places for students. The committee then reviewed the Governor’s Proposition 98 proposal. The Department of Finance said the 2025-26 Proposition 98 guarantee is projected at $118.9 billion, with higher revenues and TK-related rebenching driving the increase. The LAO said the budget adds about $7.5 billion over two years and discussed the volatility of the guarantee, especially in 2024-25, when changes in revenue could have an outsized effect on school funding. Members questioned the proposed $1.6 billion delayed settle-up payment, the legal basis for delaying it, and the impact of possible federal funding freezes. The LAO presented alternatives such as a reserve deposit or delayed disbursement, while Finance said the proposal is intended to manage uncertainty. Members also raised concerns that ethnic studies implementation was not funded in the January budget, and Finance said the administration was not proposing funding for it. The committee next heard on the Proposition 98 rainy day fund and education deferrals. Finance said the reserve would receive a mandatory deposit of about $1.2 billion in 2024-25 and a discretionary deposit of $376 million in 2025-26, leaving a balance of about $1.5 billion. The LAO supported rebuilding the reserve as a way to manage volatility. On deferrals, Finance described the Governor’s plan to eliminate remaining deferrals by 2025-26, and the LAO said paying them off improves cash flow and budget resilience. Members generally supported eliminating deferrals and rebuilding reserves, though some asked about acting earlier if revenues allow. The committee also reviewed the proposed $1.8 billion student support and professional development block grant; Finance said it would fund professional development, recruitment and retention, and dual enrollment, while the LAO recommended clearer language on local discretion and use for one-time costs. Members were divided, with some supporting flexibility and others warning that one-time block grants can create instability and confusion for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• The success rate is unparalleled. Our civil folks are running at 97% success rate.
• Our criminal appeals folks are running at 93% success rate.
• Our criminal appeals folks success rate.
• </c><00:54:38.880><c> Um,</c> are running at 93% success rate. Um, are running at 93% success rate.
• Our commissioners close to market rate.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> their unemployment rate uh is 27%. their unemployment rate uh is 27%.
• Uh and our retention rates successful. Uh and our retention rates were<00:07:59.440><c> low.
• Our students that were certified were 114, with a 91.2% pass rate.
• ><c> we're</c><00:31:45.760><c> right</c> graduation rate of 93% we're right graduation rate of 93% we're
• Unemployment rate nationally is double.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Kentucky Recovery Vocational Workforce and Re-entry Incorporated, led by Executive Director Jerick D'vor, on its vocational training model for people in recovery and formerly incarcerated individuals. He said the nonprofit operates in Russell Springs and serves students from across Kentucky, offering manufacturing and welding training tied to recovery services through Spark Recovery. D'vor emphasized that the program combines treatment, soft-skills coaching, job placement, and continued support after employment, arguing that training should begin around 90 days into recovery rather than earlier. He reported strong outcomes, including 292 students served, 259 certificates earned, and 250 job placements, with many participants placed in manufacturing jobs and 17 welders trained and placed through the new welding academy. Members praised the program but asked about funding, retention, and employability barriers. D'vor said the pilot was supported by opioid abatement grant funding, and the program now relies mainly on donor contributions and Spark Recovery’s investment in clients, with possible future support from additional opioid abatement funds or 1915(i) mechanisms. He said participants are not charged tuition and that the organization provides soft-skills training and job coaches. In response to questions about long-term outcomes, he said the program does not yet have a full alumni tracking system but is exploring technology options and continues to provide post-employment support for 90 days. After approving the committee minutes, members received an update on college athletics and Senate Bill 3 from University of Louisville Athletic Director Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart. They said Kentucky’s NIL framework and reporting requirements are working reasonably well and praised the state for not trying to create a competitive advantage in the evolving college sports environment. Heird reported that 521 student-athletes have signed up for NILGO and about 240 deals have been approved through the system, while noting the need to ensure NIL agreements are legitimate marketplace deals rather than artificial payments. The discussion also touched on the House settlement, the $600 approval threshold, and broader federal changes affecting college athletics.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh so immunization rates representative.
• </c><01:24:56.400><c> Um</c> rates. Um we will see polio again. Um rates.
• </c> rates. That's fact. rates. That's fact.
• Um but you know I I vaccination rates.
• </c><02:25:55.920><c> So</c> that have high vaccination rates. So that have high vaccination rates.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And many attribute the Commonwealth's recent success in reducing fatal overdose rates to its commitment
• They have a closer to a 60 or 75% rate of getting people to go into treatment.
• We have a closer to a 60 or 75% rate of getting people to go into treatment.
• If it were white communities leading the overdose death rates, there would be no debate.
• double that of the county and statewide rates.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery held a public hearing on several harm reduction bills, including measures to decriminalize simple possession and paraphernalia, authorize overdose prevention centers, and expand access to naloxone for first responders. Chair Mindy Domb and Senator John Velis opened by describing harm reduction as an evidence-based public health strategy and noting Massachusetts’ recent decline in fatal overdoses. They emphasized that testimony would help shape whether and how the bills advance, and explained the hearing process, including time limits and written testimony. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including Rep. Kate Donaghue, Sen. Cindy Friedman, Rep. Marjorie Decker, Rep. Manny Cruz, public health professionals, recovery advocates, and people with lived experience, argued that harm reduction saves lives, reduces stigma, and can connect people to treatment. They supported overdose prevention centers and decriminalization as tools to keep people alive long enough to enter recovery, and several speakers described personal losses to overdose or family experiences with addiction. Some supporters also framed the bills as racial justice measures, arguing that criminal penalties for possession have disproportionately harmed Black and brown communities. Opponents, including Sen. Nick Collins and several South End residents, argued that overdose prevention centers and decriminalization would worsen public drug use, crime, and neighborhood disorder, especially around Mass and Cass. They said current approaches such as Section 35, diversion, and police leverage into treatment are more effective, and they urged more treatment beds and recovery facilities instead of harm reduction sites. Committee members questioned witnesses about research, local siting, crime data, and the relationship between harm reduction and treatment, and several members said neighborhood impacts must be considered alongside overdose prevention. The committee did not take a vote during the hearing; it continued receiving testimony and announced a later break before resuming on H. 2196 and S. 1393.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> theoretically on rates going forward. theoretically on rates going forward.
• </c> electric rate payers. electric rate payers.
• </c> the context of today's overall rates. the context of today's overall rates.
• DOE's fiscal note says rate to $0.
• So, and again, it's already been rated. It'll be rated again.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• elderly, who are disproportionately subject to guardianship, also experience significantly higher rates
• They lose custody of their child or parenting time at alarming rates due to the disability.
• Shared parenting in high-conflict cases is associated with higher rates of mental health problems, higher
• rates of trauma, higher rates of disciplinary problems, and Higher rates of trauma, higher rates of
• disciplinary problems, higher rates of childhood poverty, lower rates of academic achievement, and the

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on a wide range of state, probate, and family bills, with chairs Edwards and Day outlining strict testimony limits and accepting written testimony. Early testimony focused on H. 1911/S. 1138, which would clarify that a durable power of attorney may create a trust if that authority is expressly granted; sponsors and elder law advocates said the bill would resolve uncertainty created by the Barbetti decision and align Massachusetts with other states. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1102, a proposal to establish medical panels in Probate and Family Court. Supporters, including attorneys, parents, physicians, and advocates, said neutral three-doctor panels would help judges resolve disputed medical issues in guardianship and custody cases involving children, elders, and people with disabilities. Testifiers described cases where medical treatment was blocked or contested by one parent or guardian, arguing the panels would provide impartial expertise and protect vulnerable people. The committee also heard support for bills addressing disability discrimination in family court, military parents’ custody rights, and a shared parenting bill, H. 1710, which drew strong opposition from domestic violence advocates and others who said a 50-50 presumption could harm survivors and children. The committee also took testimony on several probate and court-administration measures. Senator Lovely supported a bill on nominee trust partition, and Senator Comerford and probate officials backed legislation to codify additional registry staff positions and modernize registry operations. Other bills discussed included foster care liability insurance, with providers warning that rising premiums and loss of coverage could force program closures; health care proxy storage and activation; access to decedents’ email accounts; uniform trust decanting; the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act; heirs’ property partition protections; a constitutional right to health care; alimony-related reforms; child-centered family law; and a right of disposition for funeral arrangements. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee repeatedly invited written testimony and follow-up questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It found that attending ESOL classes more than doubles rates of voter registration and increases civic
• The birth rate is declining. The death rate is steady.
• contribution to our economy and their future participation are essential as our native-born growth rate
• The maternal mortality rate has doubled.
• The maternal mortality rate has doubled.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on several workforce-related bills, with most of the hearing focused on ESOL and apprenticeship legislation, followed by testimony on a four-day workweek pilot and paid prenatal leave. On ESOL, witnesses including the Boston Foundation, Skillworks, MassINC, MIRA, JVS Boston, Eastern Bank, immigrant advocates, employers, and legislators supported H.2080/S.1326, arguing that Massachusetts has a large backlog of limited-English-proficiency residents waiting for classes, that ESOL is essential to economic mobility and immigrant integration, and that the state needs a coordinated, statewide strategy with more vocational and workplace-focused English instruction. Testifiers cited long waitlists, fragmented delivery across agencies, labor shortages, and examples of workplace English programs helping immigrants gain jobs, advance careers, and support businesses. Committee members asked questions about how vocational ESOL differs from standard classes, and witnesses explained that it focuses on job-specific language and workplace scenarios. The committee also heard strong support for H.2085/S.1303, which would require more use of registered apprentices on public construction projects over $1 million. Labor leaders from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and Massachusetts Building Trades, along with electricians and apprentices, said the bill would help apprentices complete training by ensuring enough job-site hours, expand access to good union careers, and strengthen the construction workforce for housing, infrastructure, and clean energy work. Several witnesses defended existing apprenticeship ratios and electrical licensing standards, warning against deregulation and emphasizing safety. Committee members asked about project thresholds and apprenticeship ratios, and witnesses said the bill’s phased apprentice-hour requirement was intended to cover most public projects under current cost conditions. The committee then heard testimony on S.1330, a four-day workweek pilot program. Senator Dillon Fernandez and Representative Shirley Arriaga described the proposal as a response to burnout, affordability pressures, and changing workplace norms, arguing that a pilot would let Massachusetts study whether shorter workweeks improve productivity, retention, and worker well-being. Witnesses said the model could help families balance caregiving and commuting while maintaining or improving output. Finally, the committee took testimony on S.1361, establishing paid prenatal leave. Parents, health advocates, March of Dimes, and others said paid leave would help pregnant workers attend critical prenatal appointments, reduce missed care, and improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Several speakers shared personal stories about high-risk pregnancies, pregnancy loss, and the financial strain of taking unpaid time off. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked a limited number of questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also go big this year on regional school transportation by increasing reimbursement rates to 90 percent
• to record levels, or about $8.4 billion, is that it's been recognized by Wall Street, by the bond rating
• we can save the taxpayers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a lot of money with lower interest rates
• Debt service in this FY27 A lot of money with lower interest rates.
• Another factor that led to Wall Street improving our bond rating to a record high level of AA+, because

Transcript Highlights:

• animals are becoming more and more and more enriched for resistant alleles, and the test positive rate
• And then the adult mortality rate went down. And then the fawn mortality rate went down.
• And it’s a diminishing rate of return. There’s no ROI on it.
• And so the question is, how much better can you get than less than 1% test positive rate?
• The test positive rate of the SS with the good breeding values was less than 1% across those farms.

Bills: HB3270 , HB3145 , HB3056

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from Texas A&M professor Chris Seaberry on chronic wasting disease (CWD) genetics in deer and elk. He argued that susceptibility to CWD is polygenic, that genomic prediction can identify more resistant animals with high accuracy, and that selecting for resistant breeding values plus the PRNP codon 96 S allele could reduce disease prevalence. He said his work has been used in USDA/APHIS programs, that some facilities have been cleaned up using these methods, and that concerns about inbreeding, increased shedding, or harm to hunting quality are overstated. Committee members questioned the science, the risk of releasing potentially infected animals, the financial incentives for breeders, and whether wildlife agencies were resisting the program for philosophical or institutional reasons. The witness and senators also discussed the Department of Wildlife’s role, the Attorney General’s opinion, and whether the state should act more quickly or wait for more data. The committee then took up House Bill 3270, which would shift rulemaking authority for the deer-release/CWD program from the Department of Wildlife to the Department of Agriculture after members said Wildlife had failed to promulgate rules for two years. The Department of Wildlife testified that it believed it had complied by collecting native deer samples and that it had been operating under a different understanding until the Attorney General’s March 5 opinion clarified the original law. After debate over agency inaction, the adequacy of the science, and the impact on deer breeders and hunters, the committee voted 3-9 against the bill, and HB 3270 failed. The committee also confirmed Jessica Wilcox to an executive nomination by a 12-0 vote. It then advanced House Bill 3145, which clarifies tagging rules for commercial hunts by making $10 tags apply only to male native wildlife and $0 tags apply to female, feral swine, and exotic wildlife; the bill passed 12-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3056, which would allow unpasteurized cow, goat, and sheep milk to be sold at feed stores and farmers markets with labeling; members questioned gallon limits and whether the bill included adequate warning language, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• through 2027, having certainty that this program will continue will bring stability to health plan rate
• Without reinsurance in place, that rate would have been much higher.
• /c><00:12:54.320><c> in</c><00:12:54.560><c> place,</c><00:12:55.040><c> that</c><00:12:55.360><c> rate
• </c> Without reinsurance in place, that rate Without reinsurance in place, that rate would<00:12:55.760
• Commerce's 2016 rate release, premiums in<00:14:27.920><c> the</c><00:14:28.079><c> individual</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• Yakima County faces the state's highest rates of overdose.
• portion of the federal SNAP benefits beginning October of 2017, tied to the state's payment error rate
• Until roughly six years ago, the real estate excise tax rate was a uniform 1.28%.
• It has since been replaced with a tiered rate structure based on the selling price, with rates ranging
• this timberland sold to a governmental entity would be subject to the 1.28% real estate excise tax rate

Bills: SB6003 , HB2353 , HB2431 , HB1983

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: capital budget, funding, infrastructure, state projects, budget allocation, HB 2353, predesign thresholds, capital construction, major capital projects, Office of Financial Management, OFM, Washington state, state agencies, infrastructure planning, construction costs, inflation adjustment, capital facilities, project review, allotments, lease approval

Transcript Highlights:

• compensation insurers covering firefighters from filing a uniform percentage deviation to increase rates
• regarding the rate payments on regulatory assets.
• the rate payments on regulatory assets.
• rainy day fund where you could invest a certain amount in equities to allow it to grow at a faster rate
• A municipality that imposes a construction contracting excise tax rate.

Summary: The meeting was a lengthy caucus-style review of many bills and resolutions across multiple committees, with staff giving brief descriptions and most items placed on consent or third-read consent calendars. Topics included appropriations, commerce, education, government, health and human services, environment, public safety, and transportation. Measures discussed ranged from school policy and board continuations to housing, water, public safety, licensing, and election-related changes. Several bills were noted as strike-everything amendments or as having been amended in committee. A number of bills drew sponsor comments or brief questions. In education, members discussed bills on teacher strikes, school math placement, school meals, student clubs, bond election disclosures, and a proposed commission on student outcomes. In health and human services, members discussed nursing board rules, pharmacist testing and treatment authority, medical records timelines, opioid antagonist expiration dates, and a proposed constitutional amendment on the right to refuse medical mandates. In government and public safety, members debated funding and staffing issues for DPS and corrections, including a proposed public safety parity fund, as well as bills on county sheriffs, legal representation for DPS, and corrections oversight funding. There was also discussion of election and local government measures, including inactive voter list procedures, circulator disclosure rules, and committee termination filings. Other topics included housing affordability districts, development fees, historic-area middle housing exemptions, water and groundwater management, environmental compatibility siting, and trade-related commissions. One notable exchange involved HB 4044, where members debated whether using rainy day fund interest for public safety pay was fiscally responsible; supporters argued it was a practical way to fund raises, while opponents said it would weaken the fund and should instead be handled through the general fund. No roll-call votes were taken in the transcript, and most items were simply presented, briefly discussed, and left on consent or third-read consent calendars.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill specifies the items the board may also investigate, including wage rates, The bill specifies
• the items the board may also investigate, including wage rates and compensation policies, recruitment
• And we have some versions of that here as well when you look at the home care rate-setting board.
• In Yakima, 90% of our families are subsidized and rates are 50% lower than other regions.
• At the same time, subsidy reimbursement rates have not kept pace.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1347, which would streamline cannabis testing lab accreditation by requiring the Liquor and Cannabis Board to accept Department of Agriculture accreditation as the basis for initial certification under certain conditions and to reduce duplication between agencies. The prime sponsor and several industry witnesses said the bill is intended to clarify authority, improve efficiency, and preserve consumer safety, while LCB said it had no policy objection but wanted implementation concerns addressed. Several witnesses supported the concept but said an amendment was needed to clearly assign accreditation authority to WSDA and avoid overlapping requirements. The committee also heard and later took action on several bills. House Bill 2229 would update the Professional Engineers Registration Act by changing board membership rules, increasing pro tem members, and revising registration and exam provisions; the sponsor and board director said it modernizes qualifications without changing licensure standards. House Bill 2091 would require more complete employee contact information to be shared with exclusive bargaining representatives under the Personnel System Reform Act; union witnesses supported it and a policy witness opposed it as a privacy intrusion. Second Substitute House Bill 1128 would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board to make recommendations on child care worker standards; supporters said it addresses workforce shortages and retention, while providers and associations argued it duplicates existing work and could lead to unfunded mandates. In executive action, the committee voted do pass on Substitute House Bills 2492, 2107, 2151, 2355, and Gross Substitute House Bill 2471, and sent them to Rules. It also voted do pass on Second Substitute House Bill 2105 and referred it to Ways and Means. Other bills heard included House Bill 1701 on shared liquor license premises, where a small business owner supported more flexible shared-space arrangements and LCB suggested amendments to prevent undue influence; House Bill 2264 on unemployment benefits for employer-initiated layoffs, which was supported as a clarification to protect workers who opt into reduction-in-force programs; Substitute House Bill 2472 on fire sprinkler work enforcement, supported by labor and industry witnesses; and Second Substitute House Bill 2345, which would adjust paid family and medical leave premium allocations to address IRS tax guidance, with broad support from labor, business, and the agency.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, what is the saying that leadership is change at a rate people can absorb, right?
• You're the chair of the fee rate setting committee, is that correct?
• So the board has a role in setting the fee rates for the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
• You're the chair of the fee rate setting committee, is that correct?
• So the board has a role in setting the fee rates for the Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Graduates who earned dual credit had higher rates of post-secondary enrollment than those who did not
• The rate of earning a post-secondary credential within six years of graduation, which is the national
• As an example, we've been talking about high rates of dual credit course taking among students.
• We've had over an 80% hiring rate, and I ask you to support the bill. Thank you.
• We have a graduation rate of 80 percent. We have a job placement rate of well over 70 percent.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on dual credit, hearing first from the Council of Presidents and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, then from the Education Research and Data Center. The dual credit overview described Washington’s six dual credit programs, high participation rates, transferability, and recent efforts to improve transparency, pathways, and equity. Testimony emphasized both benefits and challenges, including access, funding, advising, and the need for clearer statewide coordination. ERDC outlined its annual report, dashboard, research briefs, and future work on school-level factors and possible causal effects of dual credit participation. No votes were taken during the work session. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. SB 6227 would direct WSAC to work with public higher education institutions to create formal data collection protocols for parenting students and convene a work group to recommend how to identify and support them. Senator Wilson and multiple student and advocacy witnesses supported the bill, citing the lack of consistent statewide data and the barriers parenting students face; WSAC testified that its research found significant food, housing, and child care insecurity among these students. SB 6235 would prohibit public colleges with athletics programs from entering certain private equity or sovereign wealth fund agreements involving athletics revenues or control. Senator Holy said the bill was intended to prevent loss of institutional control, while UW and WSU testified in opposition, warning it could limit flexibility and create competitive disadvantages. The committee also heard SB 6217, which would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to students in eligible non-degree credential programs beginning in 2027-28. Supporters from the community and technical college system, a community college president, and workforce representatives said the bill would help students access short-term training for family-wage jobs and address workforce shortages, especially in construction trades. Finally, SB 6209 would restore Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship eligibility for certain private four-year and career/vocational schools if they meet a gainful-employment standard. DigiPen, Evergreen Beauty College, Seattle Film Institute, and related students and administrators testified in support, arguing the bill would preserve access for low-income and nontraditional students in career-focused programs; some witnesses on the bill’s earlier panel also urged that certificate and two-year programs be included. The hearings were managed with shortened testimony times because of the large number of sign-ins, and no final committee action or votes were recorded in the transcript.