Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I think we’ve been talking about public safety, and that tends to lend itself to public safety,
• We’ve been talking about public safety, and that tends to lend itself to public safety to say that folks

Committee: House General Laws

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and established a quorum. It took no action on House Bill 2155. On House Bill 2682, the committee adopted a House Committee Substitute that removed a reference to the 11th Amendment in the portion waiving state immunity, then voted the bill do pass by a roll call vote of 6-3. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2308, which would require parenting time lost during a child abuse investigation to be made up if the allegation is unfounded. Representative Holly Jones presented the bill as a way to restore time to falsely accused parents and children. Testimony in support came from Robert Garza and Lincoln Brewbaker, both of whom described extensive personal experiences with repeated false allegations, CPS involvement, court orders, and lost parenting time; they argued the bill would deter misuse of the system and conserve investigative and court resources. Several members raised concerns about logistics, fairness to the other parent, judicial discretion, and whether the bill should apply only when the accuser is the other parent. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee also heard House Bill 2176, a broad firearms measure described by the sponsor as combining prior committee-approved provisions, including limits on red flag laws, preemption of local gun ordinances, changes to self-defense immunity, and lowering the concealed carry permit age from 19 to 18. Supporters from the Missouri Firearms Coalition and Women for Gun Rights argued the bill protects due process and the Second Amendment and prevents abuse of gun seizure laws. Opponents from Moms Demand Action argued it weakens public safety, undermines local control, and could worsen gun violence and suicide. Members questioned the bill’s dangerous felony carve-out, the scope of the $50,000 civil penalty, and how the bill would affect firearms at home or in mental health crises. The hearing concluded without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• to hold the project in that use in perpetuity, so we've not really broached that question with our lending
• Thank you again for lending us your ears and for your consideration of this exciting, important bill.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard public testimony on several bills. SB 5885 would expand affordable housing on property owned by religious organizations by lowering the density-bonus affordability threshold from 100% to 50% and adding a sales and use tax exemption for qualifying projects. The sponsor and supporters from Redmond, Tacoma, Spokane, faith organizations, and housing nonprofits said the current standard is too restrictive and that churches and other faith groups have underused land that could help meet the state’s housing shortage. A county planning representative raised concern about an unfunded mandate to update local development regulations, and one testifier said the bill should be paired with funding for county planning work. The committee also heard SB 5884, which would expand a sales and use tax deferral program for redevelopment of underutilized property. The bill would broaden eligible land beyond surface parking lots to include vacant, partially used, or underutilized parcels, and would allow cities to approve projects with at least 50% affordable units, or 20% in designated residential targeted areas. Supporters from Spokane, Vancouver, Kent, Bellingham, and the Washington State Association of Counties said the current program is too narrow and should be available in more places, including counties and more cities. Construction industry groups supported redevelopment but objected to a provision tying eligibility to apprenticeship utilization, saying it could disadvantage nonunion contractors and create compliance burdens. For SB 5937, the committee heard testimony on smart access systems in rental housing. The bill would require landlords, upon request, to offer a non-biometric, non-app-based alternative key and to provide privacy policies and limits on data collection for smart access systems. Tenant advocates supported the bill as a privacy and access protection, citing concerns about app-based locks, data tracking, lockouts, and retaliation. Landlord and multifamily housing groups said they were open to the concept but argued the bill was too broad and could impose burdens on small housing providers or simple keypad systems, and they asked for narrower definitions and clearer implementation language. Finally, the committee took testimony on SB 5938, which would make technical changes to the foreclosure prevention fee created last year, including exempting certain reverse mortgages and chattel loans, preventing duplicate charges on some state-backed transactions, and directing Commerce to study a possible state homeowner assistance fund. Homeownership counselors, legal aid, HOA advocates, and equity organizations supported the bill, saying it would clarify fee collection, protect low- and moderate-income buyers from unnecessary costs, and help sustain foreclosure prevention services. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript, and the meeting ended after public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, how does that dynamic between the environmental justice consultation with community groups lend
• I mean, how does that dynamic between the environmental justice consultation with community groups lend

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee held a work session to review implementation of recent housing, planning, and climate-related laws. Department of Commerce staff outlined the 2023 climate planning requirements under the Growth Management Act, including the climate resiliency sub-element for all jurisdictions and greenhouse gas reduction requirements for larger ones. They described Commerce’s guidance, the use of the University of Washington’s Resilient Washington tool and FEMA hazard mitigation resources, attention to overburdened communities through the Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities Map, and the climate policy explorer. Members asked about specific climate impacts, flood mapping, evacuation language access, and how environmental justice and local stakeholder input are incorporated. Commerce also said climate planning grants are being drawn down from Climate Commitment Act funding and should be sufficient through the 2029 deadline for remaining Puget Sound jurisdictions. Local government witnesses described their comprehensive plan updates and implementation challenges. Pierce County said its adopted plan was a major multi-year effort that retracted some urban growth area acreage, concentrated growth near transit, expanded middle housing and streamlined permitting, and created capacity for far more housing than its 32,000-unit growth target. County staff emphasized the difficulty of balancing rural protection, urban growth, transportation constraints, climate goals, and limited transit funding, and asked for more technical assistance. Redmond said its update leveraged light rail investments, added transit-oriented development, middle housing, planned actions, and climate resilience policies, but also required costly mid-course corrections from changing state laws and agency guidance. Redmond urged more regulatory stability, clearer statutes, and streamlined certification and accountability processes. Snohomish County said it is now in early implementation, focusing on translating adopted policy into regulations, aligning with new state housing and parking laws, and coordinating across departments and with cities; it stressed the need for clearer comp plan language, realistic timelines, and more staffing and coordination support. The committee also heard from the Washington chapter of the American Planning Association about inconsistencies in recent planning laws. APA identified three issues: the use of the undefined term “guidelines” in the design review statute, the use of “variance” in a middle housing/design review context where APA said “departure” would better fit the intended flexibility, and the lack of a cross-reference or definition for “administrative design review” in the subdivision statute. APA said these ambiguities can create confusion and delay in permit processing and offered to work with the legislature on technical fixes. Senators asked whether local codes already use “departure” and whether the proposed changes would conflict with current law; APA responded that many cities already use departure provisions and that the goal is to align the RCW with existing planning practice. The meeting ended without any votes or formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we house one with our lending library, which is another branch of our technology services.
• to help identify what assistive technology would be the most proficient for a student, and we also lend

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Goodwin, and for your willingness to lend your tremendous expertise to the Texas Real Estate Commission
• the Texas Real Estate Commission, but in our conversations, I deeply appreciate your willingness to lend

Committee: Senate Nominations

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations held its final nomination hearing of the session and considered three nominees: J.B. Goodwin for the Texas Real Estate Commission, Courtney Yaltman for the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Thomas Gleason as PUC chairman. Goodwin described his long career in real estate and charitable work, and senators questioned him extensively about the Real Estate Commission’s self-directed, semi-independent status, housing affordability, institutional homebuyers, property insurance costs, disclosure issues, and the Burnett v. National Association of Realtors case. Yaltman and Gleason were questioned about PUC oversight of ERCOT, post-Winter Storm Uri reforms, utility resilience and vegetation management after Hurricane Beryl, water and telecommunications oversight, staffing and transparency, and rising infrastructure and utility costs. Much of the discussion focused on housing and utility affordability, with several senators urging the nominees to keep consumer protection and public trust at the forefront. Goodwin said housing affordability and large-scale investment purchases were not within the Real Estate Commission’s direct purview, though he supported further study. Yaltman and Gleason said the PUC had increased oversight of ERCOT, improved communication and accountability with utilities, and was working on resiliency plans, rate-setting issues, and infrastructure planning while trying to avoid overburdening ratepayers. The committee first voted to favorably report nominees left pending from the May 5 agenda by a 6-0 roll call vote. After public testimony was opened and closed, the committee then voted on the nominees heard that day and favorably recommended all three to the full Senate for confirmation by a 7-0 vote. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• not be able to get a mortgage because insurance companies won't provide coverage and lenders won't lend
• Through commercial lending, through government programs, through grants, through tax incentives, through

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Keywords: homeowners insurance, natural disasters, insurance costs, climate change, disaster preparedness, federal policies, bipartisan solutions

Summary: The meeting reviewed critical issues surrounding the rising costs and accessibility of homeowners insurance across the United States, particularly in light of increasing natural disasters linked to climate change. Members engaged in extensive discussions regarding the implications for families and the economy, citing significant increases in premiums and decreasing availability of policies in high-risk areas. Supervisor Peysko highlighted the direct impact of federal policies on local communities, emphasizing the growing burden on homeowners as they face skyrocketing insurance costs amidst a backdrop of environmental challenges and regulatory constraints. The committee expressed a unified call to action for bipartisan solutions, focusing on improving building codes and enhancing disaster preparedness measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• revenues collected as a result of the new fees and on economic conditions. for the franchise, mortgage lending
• been in talks with the department for over a year about insuring the California Residential Mortgage Lending

Transcript Highlights:

• The LCC is charged with the enforcement of the Military Lending Act on federally chartered banks.
• supervisions are insists that interest rates not go beyond 36% because doing so would be indicative of poor lending

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Keywords: financial regulations, SEC, Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Transit Administration, nominees, Empowering Main Street in America Act, capital formation, economic growth

Summary: The committee meeting focused on several nominees within key financial institutions, including discussions surrounding the SEC, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Comptroller of the Currency. Notable dialogue included concerns over regulatory balance, with various members emphasizing a need to streamline regulations to foster innovation while ensuring accountability and safety for investors. The importance of the proposed 'Empowering Main Street in America Act' was highlighted as a means to facilitate access to capital for small businesses, underlining the current administration's approach towards financial regulations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd be happy to lend any expertise or assistance to this working group, as applicable, and I'd be happy
• We'd be happy to lend any expertise or assistance to this working group, as applicable, and I'd be happy

Summary: The Committee on Transportation and Culture heard a series of resolutions covering cultural preservation, civic education, dark-sky protection, Taiwan relations, aviation safety reporting, waterborne cargo subsidies, and Maui transportation planning. Testimony on the Hawaii Theatre resolutions (SCR 131/SR 110) came from the Hawaii Theatre Center in support, with a question about whether acquisition funding was in the current budget; the witness said he was not aware of any such funding. The state archivist strongly supported SCR 169/SR 138 on expanding public outreach and civic engagement, and a student testifier supported the measure while urging stronger language to include Indigenous culture and closer work with Native communities. On STR 12/SR 8 recognizing International Dark Sky Week, testimony emphasized light pollution’s effects on birds, marine life, human health, and astronomy, and suggested stronger lighting ordinances and possible dark-sky reserve efforts. STR 31/SR 17 on Taiwan received support from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, while STR 180/SR 150 on aviation safety reporting drew support from Blue Hawaiian Helicopters but opposition from the Department of Transportation, which said much of the requested information falls under FAA jurisdiction and would be voluntary at the state level. STR 150 on waterborne cargo subsidies was supported by DOT, Young Brothers, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association, with DOT asking that the working group be smaller to speed a report to the 2026 session. STR 37/SR 21 and STR 38/SR 22 on Kihei road planning drew support from the Kihei Community Association, which described severe congestion and safety concerns in South Maui. In decision-making, the committee advanced SCR 131/SR 110 on the Hawaii Theatre as introduced. SCR 169/SR 138 was advanced with amendments to address comments about Indigenous culture. STR 12/SR 8 on International Dark Sky Week was deferred for further discussion until the following Tuesday. STR 31/SR 17 on Taiwan was advanced with technical, non-substantive amendments. STR 180/SR 150 and STR 150 were both deferred to the same later decision-making date to allow further work on possible amendments and jurisdictional issues. STR 37/SR 21 was passed as introduced, and STR 38/SR 22 was passed with technical, non-substantive amendments. In each vote taken, the measures were adopted without recorded opposition from the members present.

Transcript Highlights:

• borrowers are going to be at risk of unfair financial service practices including debanking, payday lending
• In fact if you look at some of that mortgage fraud is changes with the Military Lending Act where financial

Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Keywords: fiscal responsibility, government waste, foreign aid, funding resolution, legislative oversight

Summary: The committee meeting addressed government spending and foreign aid, with a particular emphasis on perceived wasteful expenditures. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a funding resolution for the committee, which received unanimous support from the members present. The chair noted a quorum at the beginning of the meeting, signaling that the committee was ready to conduct its business. Discussions highlighted ongoing debates concerning fiscal responsibility and the necessity of legislative oversight, notably regarding foreign aid allocations and their implications for domestic fiscal health.

Transcript Highlights:

• This means that we have experts in many areas who will be able to lend their expertise, especially with
• For major activities, the corporation contracts with lending agencies and organizations across the state

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• This probably doesn't lend itself to that very well with a religious school, but it doesn't prohibit

Bills: AB302

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a name which appears on the screen after mine on the board, and that lends me to believe that

Bills: SB1558 , SB1983 , SB1796 , SB1806 , SB1426 , SB633

Committee: House Children, Youth and Family Services

Keywords: child care, licensing, definitions, foster care, child welfare, SB1983, resource family partner, resource family partners, Department of Human Services, DHS, foster homes, foster children, placement data, data sharing, de-identified data, aggregated data, sibling groups, placement disruptions, foster parent recruitment, foster parent retention

Transcript Highlights:

• The gold is not lending... is not a bank; it's a warehouse where bullion is stored on a one-to-one basis

Committee: House House Regulatory Oversight Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Regulatory Oversight heard two bills related to Arizona bullion and gold-backed transactions. HB 2123 would establish an Arizona bullion depository under the State Treasurer, allow third-party administration and electronic payment systems, require insurance for deposits, and recognize gold and silver as legal tender. Representative Lisa Fink presented the bill as a way to provide an optional, inflation-resistant payment method and to make gold and silver more accessible to ordinary Arizonans; a witness from the Transactional Gold and Silver Project described the depository as a fully allocated, insured warehouse system tied to a debit card and said the model had been used in other states. The committee voted 4-0 with one present to give HB 2123 a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered HB 2140, which would allow state and local governments to use the Arizona bullion depository, permit the State Treasurer to place up to 10% of state monies in bullion there, and require rulemaking by the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. Representative Fink again argued that holding some bullion could diversify state assets and reduce counterparty risk, citing Utah’s treasurer and broader central bank gold accumulation. A member asked about the bill’s rulemaking language and the sponsor said she was open to discussing changes with the State Treasurer. With no public testimony, the committee voted 4-0 with one present to recommend HB 2140 do pass, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even interviewing some of my Sacramento and district staff and lending a critical youth voice to this

Transcript Highlights:

• Entering into financing agreements with Commonwealth agencies, lending institutions, investors, investing
• Entering into financing agreements with Commonwealth agencies, lending institutions, investors, investing
• agreements with Commonwealth agencies, agreements with Commonwealth agencies, uh<00:32:03.920><c> lending
• </c><00:32:04.480><c> institutions,</c><00:32:05.440><c> investors,</c> uh lending institutions, investors
• , uh lending institutions, investors, investing<00:32:07.440><c> entities.

Summary: The committee first focused on a disputed KCNA procurement for a statewide network-related RFP. Members questioned why the RFP had been labeled non-technical, whether COT should have reviewed it, and whether the KCNA board could direct that it be withdrawn. Finance and Administration Cabinet counsel Barbie Dickens said the RFP was authorized by KCNA working with procurement services after termination of the prior contract and breach notices, was issued in November 2025, paused during a protest, later resumed, and remained an open procurement. She said the agency—not the board—directs the procurement process, though she acknowledged an agency and OPS could cancel or reissue an RFP if needed. Legislators pushed back, citing KRS 154 and House Bill 314 as evidence that the KCNA board controls contracts and operations, and one member said the board had requested the RFP be withdrawn. Dickens said she could not predict the outcome and was not KCNA’s counsel. The discussion also touched on whether the current director had asked to stop the RFP and whether that request had been denied, with no final action taken during the exchange. The committee then turned to Kentucky Wired Infrastructure Corporation and the Kentucky Wired refresh project. Jim Barnhart described the structure of the nonprofit corporation, the role of Quick and Quack in the financing and operations arrangement, and the board membership, noting that the refresh funding had been approved in the 2024-26 capital budget. He said the equipment upgrade is necessary because of end-of-life hardware and software support issues, and that the refresh would expand capacity, lower risk, and reduce operating costs. Barnhart said some equipment had already been received, the rest would be purchased later, and the project should begin before September and take about a year to complete. When asked about contract disputes involving Ledcor and whether the vendor had an ongoing contract, Barnhart and the authority representative said they had not been notified of any issues and were not directly involved in that contract dispute. Committee members also raised concerns about a prior market test and whether a lower-cost bidder had been blocked from a previous RFP process. Barnhart said he understood Quack could make that decision and that the Commonwealth did not have input so long as the network was maintained, but he was not involved at the time. A legislator then read from the KCNA statute and argued that the board, not agency staff, is supposed to direct KCNA contracts and operations, saying House Bill 314 did not change those duties. The chair agreed the committee’s intent was for the board to control KCNA and direct contracts, and the discussion ended with a transition away from the KCNA dispute toward future testimony, including a presentation from Zayo Networks on open access networks and broadband infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• someone something with our Minnesota House of Representatives Centennial office space, they might lend
• someone something with our Minnesota House of Representatives Centennial office space, they might lend
• office space, Representatives Centennial office space, they<00:48:04.760><c> might</c><00:48:05.360><c> lend
• </c><00:48:06.120><c> credibility</c> they might lend credibility they might lend credibility to<00:48

Bills: HF3643 , HF4470 , HF4462 , HF4366 , HF4172 , HF3629 , HF4356 , HF3093

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Would you be able to lend us a hand and help come teach it a little?
• Would you be able to lend us a hand and help come teach it a little?
• Would you be able to lend us a hand and help come teach it a little?
• Would you be able to lend us a hand and help come teach it a little?
• our workforce challenge, and so we're trying to help augment their education ability challenge. ...lend

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Summary: The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology met on February 25, 2026, to consider gubernatorial nominees to the Hawaii Workforce Development Council under GM 630, GM 628, and GM 631. The chair explained hearing procedures, noted backup reconvening plans in case of technical failure, and said decision-making would occur after testimony if time permitted. Testimony on all three nominees was overwhelmingly supportive, including from Department of Labor and Industrial Relations officials, Workforce Development Council representatives, and various outside supporters. For GM 630, Carrie Miro described decades of work on career pathways and emphasized applied learning, internships, and stronger links between education and employers. Senators questioned how to restore hands-on trade and career education and how to connect students to real workforce opportunities; Miro said businesses should help shape training and that students need both credit and employment incentives. For GM 628, Rona Fukumoto said her experience leading Lanakila Pacific and working in homeless services would help the council better understand the needs of people with disabilities, older adults, and other vulnerable populations, and she stressed educating employers and the public. She also said youth programs, apprenticeships, and early intervention for “opportunity youth” are important, and noted that college-based programs like those at HCC can still provide effective hands-on pathways. For GM 631, Keith Dlo, who is seeking reappointment, said the Workforce Development Council should help create a future in Hawaii for younger generations by aligning schools, agencies, employers, and communities. He said his work on American Job Centers and the council’s convening power show it is an active body, not just a reporting mechanism. Senators pressed him on how to measure success beyond federal compliance, and Dlo said the council needs Hawaii-specific metrics focused on participation, completion, job placement, and retention of young residents, while also adapting to changes like AI. No votes or final confirmations were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• First off, I just want to thank you all for lending your expertise to this.
• First off, I just want to thank you all for lending your expertise to this hearing today.
• First off, I just want to thank you all for lending your expertise to this hearing today.
• First off, I just want to thank you all for lending your expertise to this hearing today.
• First off, I want to thank you all for lending your expertise to this hearing today.

Bills: SB 2

Committees: Senate Education K-16 , Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think all of this is going to lend itself to a real lowering of costs for people.
• </c> going to lend itself going to lend itself to<00:59:42.920><c> a</c><00:59:43.000><c> real</c><00
• It's going to lend itself again to an efficiency and a cost of living—the money people can save not even
• It's<01:19:25.240><c> going</c><01:19:25.360><c> to</c><01:19:25.440><c> lend</c><01:19:25.560><c> itself
• again to an It's going to lend itself again to an efficiency<01:19:27.320><c> and</c><01:19:27.400><