Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1332 requires the Auditor General, in coordination with an independent transportation research
• I thought it really wise that we should take a look at the research and the studies before we commit
• Senate Bill 1332 requires the Auditor General in coordination with an independent transportation research
• You know, I did some research and studies, and, you know, you go in neutral and you just do a search
• the Phoenix area on Indian School with properties, and we think that SB 1332 will provide proper research

Bills: SB1059 , SB1209 , SB1273 , SB1332 , SB1452 , SB1456 , SB1549 , SB1552 , SB1818 , SB1826 , SB1827

Committee: House Transportation & Infrastructure

Keywords: appropriation, Department of Transportation, right turn lane, traffic improvement, infrastructure funding, nonoperating identification, homeless exemption, veterans, emancipated minors, Arizona Department of Transportation, transportation, infrastructure, pavement rehabilitation, funding, Arizona, SB1332, light rail, light rail expansion, Maricopa County, Phoenix

Transcript Highlights:

• Protection Committee has met and reports Senate Bill 77 should pass, an act relating to ibogaine research
• and provides an opportunity for individuals to contribute toward autism services, supports, and research
• </c> supports, and research. supports, and research. Uh<00:48:45.520><c> Mr.
• The FDA has approved it with a number of post-marketing requirements for research and reporting back
• The FDA has approved it with a number of post-marketing requirements for research and reporting back

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the technological university in the state and is developing several different opportunities for research
• Several different opportunities for research and development and investment.
• We've helped fund salaries for research, networking. The effort is overall to make St.
• When a certain location in the state of Missouri is leading the semiconductor world with research, leaps
• We haven't researched it ourselves. Okay. Would you mind doing that? We sure can.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• committee, because I think we're going to try to pass this through, do you think you can do some research
• We'll try to do a little research on our end, but I wouldn't mind that in your next testimony. >> Okay
• </c><00:33:28.320><c> can</c><00:33:28.480><c> do</c><00:33:28.720><c> some</c><00:33:29.120><c> research
• </c><00:33:29.600><c> on</c> you think you can do some research on you think you can do some research
• >> Not that I'm aware of, but I can do some research on that. >> Okay.

Bills: HB1849 , HB2000 , HB1753 , HB1511 , HB276 , HB1513 , HB2188 , HB1876

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: licensing, professional license, individual taxpayer identification number, immigration, state residency, right to repair, wheelchairs, consumer protection, repair providers, device documentation, HB1753, Hawaii Social Media Data Deletion Act, social media, account deletion, data deletion, privacy, consumer privacy, personal information, sensitive personal information, data retention

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 10, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills. HB 1849 relating to licensing drew comments from DCCA’s Professional and Vocational Licensing Division and the Hawaii Real Estate Commission, both of which stood on written testimony. The Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights testified in strong support, emphasizing that some immigrants, including DACA recipients, are already contributing in Hawaii and that the state should help create pathways for them to remain and advance professionally. No vote or final action was taken on HB 1849 during the portion shown. The committee then heard HB 2000, the wheelchair right-to-repair bill. Encart opposed the measure, arguing that repair delays are largely driven by insurance prior authorization and that wheelchair repairs involve FDA-regulated medical devices where improper repairs could create health risks. Peter Fritz testified in support, saying the bill was modeled on similar laws in other states and that he had personal experience through his sister’s use of a wheelchair. Members questioned whether repairs done outside insurer networks might not be reimbursed, and Fritz said that was a concern but that the need for timely repair outweighed it. The committee also discussed HB 1753 on social media, where DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill but suggested an amendment to the definition of personal information. On HB 1511 relating to consumer protection, DCCA’s Insurance Division supported the bill, while the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association offered comments seeking to preserve legitimate manufacturer and dealer communications about vehicles, warranties, recalls, and related services. The committee also took up HB 276 HD1 and HB 1513 on condominiums. The Hawaii Real Estate Commission offered comments on HB 276 HD1. For HB 1513, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority supported the bill, but DCCA’s Insurance Division opposed it, warning that diverting HHRF funds could weaken reinsurance arrangements and raise premiums for consumers who rely on the fund. Members questioned whether the proposed condo loan program would need HHRF money and whether the amounts in the bill were necessary, and the division said it opposed using HHRF for that purpose. The committee also heard HB 2188 on housing, where OCP supported the measure and the Hawaii Association of Realtors raised concerns about conflicts with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the use of tenant screening reports, noting that a working group is already addressing landlord-tenant issues. Members asked OCP to research how other states handle similar laws and whether additional language is needed to avoid federal conflict. Finally, on HB 1876 relating to mental health, the Department of Health’s Adult Mental Health Division supported the bill but said it remains opposed to harmful, non-evidence-based treatment modalities; Pride at Work Hawaii also testified in strong support. No final votes or committee decisions were reported in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it takes us a couple of months to get all of those researched and written.
• And it takes us a couple of months to get all of those researched and written.
• And it takes us a couple of months to get all of those researched and written.
• And it takes us a couple of months to get all of those researched and written.
• And it takes us a couple of months to get all of those researched and written.

Bills: HB187 , HB98 , HB360 , HB394 , HB398 , HB388 , HB187 , HB98 , HB360 , HB394 , HB398 , HB388

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: school safety, emergency response, training, public safety, Alyssa's Law, law enforcement, scholarship, tuition assistance, dependent education, Alabama, blackout license plate, HB360, Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, sales tax holiday, firearms, guns, ammunition, bullets, primers, gun accessories

Transcript Highlights:

• So I started researching this with our lovely staff to try to figure out where we're at.
• entities on a ground-level ozone research project.
• And ADEQ is engaging with NASA, ASU, and several of the research entities on a ground-level ozone research
• That's a fairly nascent research project, but certainly something that we're looking at and trying to
• So I have heard in my research that they pretty much—you can't bury them, really, without creating a

Committee: House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee took up several energy, transportation, and land-use bills. HB 2428, dealing with county and ADEQ authority to issue voluntary permits certifying emission reduction credits for mobile and non-road sources, received neutral testimony from ADEQ and support from Maricopa County; the committee adopted the Griffin amendment and passed the bill 10-0 with a due pass recommendation. HB 2145, which expands who may request certain gasoline fuel reformulation actions and is contingent on EPA approval, also passed on a 5-4 vote after brief staff explanation and no amendment. The committee then considered HB 2331, a strike-everything amendment requiring electric utilities to ensure 85% of generating capacity serving retail load comes from “reliable resources” by 2030. Supporters, including the sponsor and Arizona Free Enterprise Club, argued it would protect affordability and grid reliability by favoring dispatchable power; opponents, including the Sierra Club and Rural Arizona Action, said it would effectively favor fossil fuels, raise costs, and limit cleaner resources. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-4. HB 2795, which would bar counties from using zoning to block small modular reactors once federal permitting conditions are met, drew strong support from the sponsor and industry advocates who framed it as pro-property-rights and pro-nuclear, and opposition from county, city, and environmental groups who raised preemption, local control, safety, waste, and siting concerns; it passed 6-4. The committee also passed HB 2340, which allows the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee to evaluate proposed generating facilities along with transmission lines, on a 5-4 vote. HB 2400, an emergency measure to suspend the motor vehicle fuel tax in Areas A and C during part of the year and replace the lost revenue through state highway funding, drew opposition from cities and counties over transportation funding impacts but support from the sponsor and some members focused on gas affordability; the Griffin amendment was adopted and the bill passed 6-4. Finally, HB 2401 was introduced as a requirement for ADEQ to conduct a biennial review of available fuel formulations and their air-quality impacts in Areas A and C, but the transcript ends before testimony or action on that bill is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• As energy researchers Isaac Orr and Mitch Rowling explained, quote, “This begs the question: if the American
• So I started researching this with our lovely staff to try to figure out where we're at.
• entities on a ground-level ozone research project.
• ADEQ is engaging with NASA, ASU, and several research entities on a ground-level ozone research project
• That's a fairly nascent research project, but certainly something that we're looking at and trying to

Bills: HB2014 , HB2113 , HB2145 , HB2331 , HB2340 , HB2389 , HB2400 , HB2401 , HB2428 , HB2494 , HB2696 , HB2756 , HB2795 , HB2955 , HCM2008

Committee: House Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, utility consumer, rate intervention, public service corporation, Arizona Revised Statutes, residential rates, consumer protection, fuel reformulation, gasoline standards, environmental regulations, ethanol supply, Air Quality, energy reliability, electric service providers, reliable resources, public power entity

Transcript Highlights:

• Research also suggests that 12 weeks of paid leave is essential, especially to those who are recovering
• Research also suggests that 12 years.
• Research also suggests that 12 weeks<00:14:03.360><c> of</c><00:14:03.600><c> paid</c><00:14:03.920><
• Thank you each for your testimony, and I was sitting here trying to do my own research too while I was
• too while I was listening to research too while I was listening to you.<00:21:28.400><c> I</c><00:21

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then took up several administrative regulations. The first was an Office of the Attorney General regulation creating an online submission process for an annual certification report to replace prior quarterly notarized certification forms; there were no amendments or questions. The main discussion centered on Personnel Cabinet regulations 101 KAR 2:034, 2:102, 3:015, and 3:045, which include staff-suggested technical amendments and address state employee compensation and leave. The compensation provisions clarify salary and rehiring/demotion rules, increase critical position premiums from one to three, and update weekend premium and ACE award practices. The leave provisions would provide up to six weeks of paid leave per 10-year interval for birth, adoption, foster placement, or a serious health condition, and allow one paid adverse-weather day per year with supervisor approval. Staff explained that annual and sick leave already accrue and roll over, and that the new six-week benefit was intended as an additional enhancement tied to the 10-year and 20-year sick-leave milestones.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Uh, for the past 7 years, our project has researched and analyzed data associated with the state's
• I researched it and I went online and I thought there's no way.
• So I did research and I found multiple other states that have a law in place that says you cannot be
• I'm a legal researcher for the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops testifying in support of House Bill
• I also want to say I, I bring forward that this is research, but these are also the lives of people in

Bills: HB316

Committee: House Criminal Jurisprudence

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare, affordable care act, medical assistance, federal funding

Transcript Highlights:

• We actively participate in forums to discuss best practices, to assess and take part in research supporting
• a different track, and that is the work that you’re doing with UMass on risk assessment and that research
• , and I’ve got to see some of that and been impressed with it, and I know DOC is doing similar research
• Cochi's comment earlier about the uptick in inmates declining parole, and not to ask for a deep research
• study, but I wonder how many... ...ask for a deep research study, but I wonder how many of those are

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Criminal Justice Reform 3.0 heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Parole Board focused on consolidation, cooperation, and evidence-based supervision across the correctional system. Parole Board Chair Angela Gomez-June described the board’s mission, its coordination with the Department of Correction, houses of correction, courts, probation, law enforcement, victim services, and UMass partners, and outlined 2024 activity including 2,810 institutional release hearings, 18,238 victim notifications, 53 pardon petitions, 70 commutation petitions, 41 early termination applications, and supervision of 2,993 parolees. She emphasized the board’s shift toward individualized, data-driven decision-making, including revised GPS use, graduated sanctions, and more service-oriented community supervision. Members and sheriffs pressed for clearer breakdowns of the board’s data, including the difference between releases, hearings, and active supervision; average length of supervision; the share of lifers in the caseload; and how many people are placed in housing, employment, and treatment. The board said its active supervised population fluctuates around 1,600 to 1,800, with more than 400 lifers, and that about 30 to 36 percent of its population is housed through programs such as MASH, community justice resource centers, and sheriff-run residential programs like Rocky Hill and HOPE. Members also discussed parole refusals, noting that some individuals decline parole to avoid supervision or to serve time inside instead, and asked for a more detailed breakdown of those cases. The board and commission also discussed collaboration with DOC and UMass on risk assessment, reentry planning, and community pathways, including a tablet video explaining the parole process and pharmacist support for medication-related drug test issues. The board reported that after the SJC’s Matus decision, 210 individuals were identified as affected, 144 were immediately eligible for hearings, 100 hearings had been completed, and 10 more were scheduled; it also said clemency and commutation work had been slowed by staffing and Matus-related demands. The meeting ended with a request for follow-up data on outcomes, supervision lengths, housing and employment placements, and other consolidated statistics, and the commission announced its next public hearing for March 9 at 10 a.m. before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• It relies on the black robe effect, which is not backed by research.
• It relies on the black robe effect, which is not backed by research.
• There have been polls and research that say across the entire spectrum of California—independents, Republicans
• There have been polls and research that says across the entire spectrum of California, independents,
• Society, and the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms advise standard time as the best Biological

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As a Swiss Mexicana who moved to the U.S. at age eight, she was inspired by a high school research project
• Since 1975, the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute has funded research to move us closer to a cure while
• I would like to acknowledge advocates from the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute who are joining us
• They are dismantling equity-focused research funding, removing racial data from public health data sets
• mission and impact of the UCLA Labor Center, transforming it into a nationally respected hub where research

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, then spent much of the session on recognitions and resolutions honoring community groups and observances. Members welcomed the Far West region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Los Angeles South Bay alumni chapter, and later recognized the 2026 Latino Spirit Award honorees after adopting SR 86 on Cinco de Mayo Week. Senators from multiple caucuses spoke in support of the resolution, emphasizing Mexican history, Latino resilience, and shared struggles for justice. The Latino Spirit honorees included leaders in higher education, philanthropy, labor, health, advocacy, business, environmental justice, journalism, culinary arts, and music, along with a legacy award for Los Tigres del Norte. The Senate also adopted SCR 146 declaring May Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, SCR 154 establishing Green Star Veterans and Families Day, SCR 123 honoring California Peace Officers Memorial Day, SCR 164 recognizing Black Health Equity Advocacy Week, and SCR 103 designating Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Testimony and floor remarks focused on health disparities, mental health, veteran suicide, and the sacrifices of peace officers, with several caucuses speaking in support of the health equity resolution. Each of these resolutions passed by unanimous or near-unanimous roll call votes. The chamber then took up several appointments from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, confirming Kathleen Ratliff and Joseph Tuggle, Jason Johnson, Madeline McLean, Brian Bishop, and Sarah Larson, despite some protest votes from Senator Grove over the lack of action on another appointment. In third reading, the Senate passed SB 1159 on AI and public participation, SB 1416 on faster refunds for duplicate medical payments, SB 1273 on winery video advertising at instructional events, SB 941 limiting commissary markups in private detention facilities, SB 990 on a highway information sign near Ridgecrest, SB 1099 clarifying local authority to provide public benefits, and SB 1195 expanding tied-house exemptions for certain venues. The session concluded with adjournment memories for labor leader Kent Wong and Navy veteran-artist Vittaliano Victor Villar, and the Senate adjourned until May 7, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• CalBridge provides mentorship, financial aid, research opportunities, and professional development, supporting
• colleges, our CSU, and the University of California to a unified pathway, and investing in mentorship, research
• completed the surveys from seeing flyers posted on their campuses related to sexual exploitation research
• "The UC's prioritization of high-margin specialty care and biomedical research does not encourage operating
• And Kern County is designated as a medically underserved area, and research shows that physicians are

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the one that I, after researching it and talking to some county officials and talking about the
• What we saw after that was, and by my research, we've shown about a 145% increase since then in those
• When researching this, one of the concerns I was given was that, for example, say a county—if there's
• has certainly skewed the perspective of the JNC in my view in taking up on their nomination and research
• has certainly skewed the perspective of the JNC in my view in taking up on their nomination and research

Bills: HJR1024 , SB1316 , SB1491 , SB1552 , SB1679 , SB1877 , SB2040 , SB2133 , SB2153 , SB2174 , SB2180 , SB227 , SJR39 , SJR47 , SJR48

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: Judicial Nominating Commission, congressional districts, terms of office, Oklahoma Constitution, legal qualifications, political party restrictions, family ties, administrative rules, sunset provision, state agencies, regulatory review, legislative oversight, presidential electors, vacancies, oath of office, political party, elections, county home rule charter, home rule, county government

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met and first laid over Senate Bill 2133 and skipped several bills because the Pro Tem and Senator Hall were not present. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1552, which would expand an option for very large counties to adopt local charters; an amendment was adopted to raise the population thresholds so the bill would apply only to future growth. After discussion that the measure was optional and not a mandate, the bill passed 12-7. The committee also passed SJR 39, a proposed constitutional amendment to lower the cap on annual increases in property tax assessed value from 3% to 1% for homestead and agricultural property and from 5% to 3% for other property, despite opposition that it would worsen funding pressures and create inequities between long-term owners and new buyers. SJR 47, moving voter ID requirements into the Constitution, and SJR 48, changing how the state handles ad valorem reimbursement for tax-incentive projects, both passed 16-2. The committee next passed Senate Bill 1491, which requires replacement presidential electors to take the same oath as the original slate, and Senate Bill 2174, which changes the membership mix of the State Fire Marshal Commission to include more business-oriented voices; both measures drew little opposition and passed overwhelmingly. Senate Bill 1877 also passed unanimously; it creates a centralized reporting system for 510 reports, with members noting it should have no fiscal impact because an existing state filing system would be used. House Joint Resolution 1024, which revises the Judicial Nominating Commission by removing certain lawyer/non-lawyer and party-balance restrictions and capping service at 12 consecutive years, passed after significant debate over judicial independence and political influence. The committee then approved Senate Bill 2040, which updates the Tulsa Reconciliation Education Scholarship Program by simplifying eligibility rules, changing the income cap to $128,000 and indexing it to inflation, and clarifying that unused funds may still be used for room, board, and books; supporters said it preserves a long-standing scholarship with no fiscal impact. Senate Bill 1316 passed 17-1 and would require agencies to periodically sunset a percentage of administrative rules, though the author said he may lengthen the cycle after reviewing other states’ models. Senate Bill 1679, the Preserving Oklahoma Values Act, passed 16-2 after debate over its references to foreign law and Judeo-Christian Western values; supporters said it protects due process and equal protection, while opponents warned it could marginalize other faith traditions and create legal uncertainty. Finally, the committee passed Senate Bill 227, clarifying which oil and gas facilities are exempt from ad valorem tax and ensuring flow lines, gathering lines, and injection wells are treated consistently; Senate Bill 2153, directing state agencies to use the terms Judea and Samaria instead of West Bank in official documents; and Senate Bill 2180, a transparency measure on foreign lobbying that was amended before passing 17-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> That is what the business alliance, who has really spent a long time researching with their surveying
• >> That is what the business alliance, who has really spent a long time researching with their surveying
• >> That is what the business alliance, who has really spent a long time researching with their surveying
• ><c> their</c><00:23:40.960><c> surveying</c><00:23:41.520><c> the</c><00:23:41.760><c> the</c> researching
• with their surveying the the researching with their surveying the the business<00:23:42.400><c> and<

Committee: Joint Finance

Keywords: Finance - Room 216, 19 February, 2026; 1:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• also the author of the book, The Science of Second Chances, which discusses the best cutting-edge research
• One big takeaway from the research literature in this space is that a first criminal record makes it
• Research has also shown that the impact of a criminal record is very difficult to undo later.
• And the research is clear. As mentioned, a first-time waiver can lead to substantial reduction...
• And the research is clear.

Bills: HB2217 , HB2558 , HB2641 , HB2648 , HB1239 , HB1591 , HB2209 , HB2310 , HB2526

Committee: House Community Safety

Keywords: rehabilitation, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, first-time offenders, pathways to rehabilitation, mental health, sentencing alternative, criminal justice, diversion programs, HB 2641, ICE out act, law enforcement hiring, immigration and customs enforcement, ICE officers, former federal employees, sworn officer, police staffing, general authority law enforcement agency, limited authority law enforcement agency, immigration enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• also the author of the book, *The Science of Second Chances*, which discusses the best cutting-edge research
• One big takeaway from the research literature in this space is that a first criminal record makes it
• Research has also shown that the impact of a criminal record is very difficult to undo later.
• And the research is clear. As mentioned, a first-time waiver can lead to a substantial reduction...
• And the research is clear.

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met on January 29, 2026, and announced it would not hold executive session that day because of the large number of public hearing sign-ups; those executive sessions were pushed to the following Monday. The committee first heard House Bill 2558, relating to the mental health sentencing alternative (MHSA). Staff explained that the bill narrows eligibility to people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, adds restrictions for certain domestic violence and prior violent offense cases, requires more detailed DOC reports, lengthens some community custody terms, mandates regular progress hearings, and shifts assessment work to contracted providers. The sponsor said the bill is intended to refocus the program on people whose offenses are tied to serious mental illness and to reduce misuse in domestic violence and other violent cases. No public testimony was taken on HB 2558 that day, and the hearing was held open for later testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 2217, which would replace the current first-time offender waiver with a pretrial deferral option and a suspended sentence option for eligible first-time felony defendants. Supporters, including public defense, immigration advocates, judges, economists, and the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, argued the bill would create a meaningful rehabilitation pathway, reduce recidivism, improve employment outcomes, and avoid the long-term harm of an immediate felony conviction. They also said the deferred-adjudication structure could help immigrants avoid immigration consequences and would better incentivize restitution and compliance. Opponents, including sheriffs, prosecutors, and victim advocates, raised concerns about expanding eligibility to offenses such as assault 2 and robbery 2, the meaning of “violent offense,” the possibility of judicial diversion without prosecutor consent, and the impact on victims and public safety. After testimony, the sponsor said she would remove the bill’s strong presumption in favor of relief, and the committee closed the public hearing on HB 2217. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2641, the “ICE Out Act of 2026,” which would bar Washington law enforcement agencies from hiring people who were sworn ICE officers after January 20, 2025, with the restriction applying prospectively beginning October 1, 2026. The sponsor said the bill was meant to protect communities and prevent hiring officers associated with federal immigration enforcement practices she described as harmful. The committee then heard House Bill 2648, which would require state and local officers who encounter suspected ICE employees conducting immigration enforcement to activate body and dash cameras, report the encounter, and document it, while providing state indemnification for officers acting in good faith. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency and protect communities and officers; the Washington State Patrol said many of the practices already align with its policies. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs expressed concerns about added reporting requirements, possible effects on federal-local cooperation, and asked for changes to soften mandatory language and strengthen indemnification. The committee ended the hearing without further testimony and adjourned, noting executive sessions on about a dozen bills would occur the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our own research shows that since 2017, fans have saved $9.5 million from buying secondary sports tickets
• Our own research shows that since 2017, fans have saved $9.5 million from buying secondary sports tickets
• Research indicates that low-income families with children are the most active coupon users.
• Research indicates that low-income families with children are the most active coupon users.
• actually is, well, I will say we don't understand how they would get to that, because according to our research

Summary: The Senate Business, Trade, and Economic Development Committee heard several public hearings on consumer protection and business regulation bills. Senate Bill 6175, the WAVE Act on ticket sales, would create licensing and enforcement rules for ticket resellers, require all-in pricing and refunds, cap resale prices and fees at 110% of the original ticket price, and prohibit speculative ticketing and deceptive practices, with exemptions for some events such as agricultural fairs and sports. The sponsor and many arts, venue, labor, and consumer advocates said the bill would curb bots, fake websites, and predatory markups that harm fans and nonprofit venues; opponents from resale platforms and industry groups argued it would restrict legitimate resale, reduce consumer choice, and push transactions into less regulated channels. Public testimony was extensive and sharply divided, but no committee vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6230, which would require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five-cent increment in light of the federal decision to stop minting pennies. Retail and grocery groups generally supported the bill but asked for amendments to protect against audit and consumer-protection liability, preserve acceptance of exact change, and avoid conflicts with local ordinances and SNAP rules. The bill sponsor said the measure is meant to give businesses a clear framework for cash rounding, and staff noted the Department of Revenue would issue a revised fiscal note with minimal costs. Senate Bill 6312, concerning surveillance-based pricing in grocery establishments, would require posted prices, prohibit individualized surveillance pricing and surge pricing, and place a moratorium on electronic shelf labels in larger stores until 2030. Labor and privacy advocates supported the bill as a way to stop AI-driven price discrimination and protect workers and consumers, while retail and grocery associations and an ESL manufacturer warned the definitions were too broad and could unintentionally affect loyalty programs, discounts, and operational efficiency. After testimony, the committee suspended the five-day notice rule for the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6149 on the definition of a rural county and Senate Bill 6248 on travel insurance, with testimony on the latter split between industry support for adopting a model act and state agency concerns about adjuster licensing and preserving Washington consumer and anti-discrimination protections. In executive session, the committee considered Senate Bill 6061 on the tourism self-assessment program and Senate Bill 6137 on sports wagering. The committee rejected an amendment to SB 6061 that would have allowed voluntary local tourism contributions, then advanced the bill with a due pass recommendation. It also advanced SB 6137 with a due pass recommendation. The meeting concluded after those votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that as a faculty member, as I was submitting research grants in the areas of STEM...
• The fourth strategy is data collection, research, and reporting, which is part of that transparency.
• trying... to explore what type of activities we want to do in a school, they've already done the research
• , so there's a list of the evidence-based programs in the school setting, and they've done the research
• So, they saved us a lot of legwork on doing research to identify evidence-based programs and then to

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a research center at UC Davis, so it would be used for capital investment.
• There is $45 million in the bond specifically for education research facilities, so that's where it's
• Okay, so I think investing in our agriculture sector is fabulous, especially the dairy digester research
• Before I ran for office, I was a research scientist in the biotech world.
• Second, we also support, on behalf of General Atomics, the $5 million for the fusion initiative research

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all